Korean J Clin Pathol.  1997 Dec;17(6):1060-1067.

Comparison of Detection Methods and Culture Media for Isolation of Helicobacter pylori from Gastric Biopsy Specimens

• Kim SK
• Kim ES
• Park IK
• Kang JO
• Choi TY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic active gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. All patients with ulcers who are infected with H. pylori receive antimicrobial therapy. Therefore diagnosis of H. pylori infection is imperative for the treatment gastritis or ulcer patients. We evaluated the four diagnostic methods and three culture media for the isolation of H. pylori.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Rapid urease test(CLO test), modified Gram stain, culture, and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed with 108 gastroscopic biopsy specimens from patients with peptic ulcer or chronic gastritis. Among them 40 specimens were inoculated onto each of 5% sheep blood agar, e99 Yolk emulsion (EYE) agar, and 7% horse blood agar containing antibiotics.
RESULTS
The positive rates were the highest by the PCR(72%), 67% by modified Gram stain, 64% by CLO test, and 57% by culture. Among the three media the horse blood agar (selective medial) gave the highest isolation rate (48%), followed by sheep blood agar (45%), and EYE agar (38%).
CONCLUSION
Though PCR was the most sensitive method for the detection H. pylori modified Gram stain was sensitive enough, simple, rapid, and economical as the routine diagnostic method of H. pylori. For the culture of H. pylori combination of sheep blood agar as nonselective media and horse blood agar as selective media would show the highest isolation rate.

MeSH Terms

Agar
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Biopsy*
Culture Media*
Diagnosis
Gastritis
Helicobacter pylori*
Helicobacter*
Horses
Humans
Peptic Ulcer
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sheep
Ulcer
Urease
Agar
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Culture Media
Urease