PCR detection of Helicobacter pylori in string-absorbed gastric juice

Molecular methods for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection have been shown to be highly sensitive in gastric biopsies and cultures. The objectiv e of this work was to compare PCR detection of H. pylori DNA in string-abso rbed gastric juice and in gastric biopsies. The study was performed in 47 d yspeptic adult patients undergoing endoscopy, and infection was detected by amplification of a segment of H. pylori ureA gene. Of the 29 patients posi tive in biopsy analysis, 23 (79%) were also positive in the gastric string. PCR analysis of gastric strings is a sensitive and safe procedure to detec t H. pylori when endoscopy is not indicated, and may be of great clinical a nd epidemiological usefulness in determining effectiveness of eradication t herapies, typing virulence genes and detecting antibiotic resistance mutati ons. (C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published b y Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.