Helicobacter pylori: cultivability and antibiotic susceptibility of coccoid forms

Helicobacter pylori is an actively dividing helical bacterium that changes to coccoid morphology as the culture ages. It has been suggested that the c occoid forms may be involved in transmission of infection and in relapses f ollowing antimicrobial therapy. The aim of this investigation was to determ ine the survival and susceptibility of the coccoid forms to amoxycillin, er ythromycin, gentamicin and metronidazole. Colony counts and microscopic exa mination were performed after 1-4 weeks of culture. At 2 and 4 weeks. ident ical cultures were treated with the antibiotics for 24 h. Our results showe d that 4-week cultures of coccoid forms were cultivable after antibiotic tr eatment. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. and International Soci ety of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.