pylori eradication Moreover, this method is simple to perform an

pylori eradication. Moreover, this method is simple to perform and the click here procedure is fast (4 h 15 m), indicating that results can be provided to clinicians simultaneously with the histological diagnosis. Conclusions Resistance to antibiotics, namely to clarithromycin, is one of the causes of treatment failure in H. pylori eradication [1]. For this Cytoskeletal Signaling inhibitor reason, it is the most beneficial to detect resistance to clarithromycin prior to antibiotic therapy. Standard culturing methods (E-test, agar dilution) have been used for this

purpose, despite several shortcomings: these methods are time consuming and H. pylori is difficult to grow in culture; there is the risk of contamination of samples during transportation leading to overgrowth of other bacteria that may mask the growth of H. pylori; these methods do not provide any information regarding the specific point mutation(s) in each resistant strain [12]. Other alternative molecular based methods require DNA extraction followed by PCR amplification and sequencing for the identification of the mutation(s) [4, 9, 13]. Herein we describe the applicability of PNA-FISH methodology to clinical material, namely gastric biopsy samples [2, 21], thus overcoming the need of culturing steps and/or PCR/sequencing procedures and enabling rapid initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy until culture

confirmation can be obtained several days later [1]. Furthermore, the required equipment, a fluorescent microscope equipped with adequate filters for fluorochromes, is easy to handle for routine diagnostic purposes. For centres using routine cultures AZD9291 molecular weight of H. pylori, the complementary

use of PNA-FISH methodology to smears of bacteria will increase the sensitivity of the detection of resistant strains in clinical samples. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Dr. Rainer Haas (Max von Pettenkofer Institute for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany), Dr. Guillermo Perez-Perez (NYU Langone Medical Ureohydrolase Center, New York, USA), and Dr. Mónica Oleastro (National Institute of Health, Lisbon, Portugal) for kindly providing most of the H. pylori strains used in this study and Endoclab (Porto, Portugal). This work was supported by the Portuguese Institute Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Ph.D. grant SFRH/BD/38124/2007). References 1. Megraud F: H pylori antibiotic resistance: prevalence, importance, and advances in testing. Gut 2004,53(9):1374–1384.PubMedCrossRef 2. Trebesius K, Panthel K, Strobel S, Vogt K, Faller G, Kirchner T, Kist M, Heesemann J, Haas R: Rapid and specific detection of Helicobacter pylori macrolide resistance in gastric tissue by fluorescent in situ hybridisation. Gut 2000,46(5):608–614.PubMedCrossRef 3. Yilmaz O, Demiray E: Clinical role and importance of fluorescence in situ hybridization method in diagnosis of H pylori infection and determination of clarithromycin resistance in H pylori eradication therapy.

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