THE USE OF CULTURE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Aim: To assess the value of microbial culture in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori. Method: Review of recent studies. Results: Culture of H. pylori is an important research technique, especially for epidemiological studies and for determining antibiotic sensitivities. H. pylori grows well on most basal media supplemented by blood products, and the sensitivity of culture can be increased by the addition of antibiotics to the basal medium. Maintenance of a micro-aerobic environment during transport is an important factor. Homogenized biopsy specimens should be incubated at 37-degrees-C under micro-aerobic conditions for 5 days on selective and non-selective media to maximize the chance of isolating H. pylori from clinical specimens. The organism can be isolated from gastric biopsies and faeces. Conclusions: Isolation of H. pylori by culture is one of the main diagnostic methods, although it is likely to become less important as more sensitive techniques become widely available. Moreover, if serology becomes accepted as a screening procedure, reducing the endoscopy workload, the importance of culture will decrease.