title: Clinical significance of PCR in Helicobacter pylori DNA detection in human gastric disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical significance of the PCR assay in the diagnosis of gastric Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hp infection in gastric antral biopsied specimens was identified by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the specific Hp urease gene fragments (PCR-Hp-DNA) in 154 patients with gastrointestinal disorders. Hp urease gene oligonucleotide primers specific for Hp (16s rRNA) were used. Urease test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti Hp-IgG serum were also used as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR-Hp-DNA was detected in 140 (91%) of the 154 patients, where patients 114 and 125 were found infected with Hp by urease test and ELISA Hp IgG, respectively. There was a marked difference in the Hp-positive rate between the PCR-Hp-DNA and the urease test or ELISA-Hp-IgG (P < 0.05). The Hp infection rate increased with age, although a minority of infected people developed signs and symptoms of gastric disorders. Hp infection is closely related to adenocarcinoma in both the gastric antrum as well as the down body of the stomach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCR is a sensitive and specific method for the detection of Hp in human gastric tissues. Detection of Hp DNA in vivo using this approach might improve the clinical diagnosis and epidemiological research related to H. pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Guo-Ming Xu, Xu-Huai Ji, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Hua Man, Hong-Fu Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medic al University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Guo-Ming Xu, Xu-Huai Ji, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Hua Man, Hong-Fu Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medic al University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Guo-Ming Xu, Xu-Huai Ji, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Hua Man, Hong-Fu Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medic al University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guo-Ming Xu, Xu-Huai Ji, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Hua Man, Hong-Fu Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medic al University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Man
authors.affiliation: Guo-Ming Xu, Xu-Huai Ji, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Hua Man, Hong-Fu Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medic al University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Gastritis; Helicobacter infections; Helicobacter pylori; Peptic ulcer; Polymerase chain reaction (PCR); Stomach neoplasms