1. Polymerase chain reaction diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori in gastroduodenal diseases: comparison with culture and histopathological examinations
- Author
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Jan-Gowth Chang, Jean Dean Liu, Pao Huei Chen, Fu Tsong Ko, Chung Kwe Wang, Kuang Yane Lin, Shyr Yi Lin, Yeong Shan Jeng, and Chaur Shine Wang
- Subjects
Adult ,DNA, Bacterial ,Male ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Spirillaceae ,Pcr assay ,Molecular Sequence Data ,Stomach Diseases ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,law.invention ,Helicobacter Infections ,law ,Predictive Value of Tests ,Biopsy ,medicine ,Upper gastrointestinal ,Humans ,Duodenal Diseases ,Antrum ,Polymerase chain reaction ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,Hepatology ,biology ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,Base Sequence ,Helicobacter pylori ,business.industry ,Gastroenterology ,Middle Aged ,bacterial infections and mycoses ,biology.organism_classification ,Urease ,Gastric Mucosa ,Genes, Bacterial ,Positive culture ,Female ,business - Abstract
Helicobacter pylori has been associated with a variety of upper gastrointestinal diseases. Histopathological examination and culture are considered to be the more specific tests in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. In the present study, we evaluated the efficiency of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay of the H. pylori urease A gene as a procedure in the diagnosis of gastric H. pylori infection in various gastroduodenal diseases. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the antral mucosa of 83 patients during endoscopic examination and were submitted to three tests for the detection of H. pylori infection. The detection rates of H. pylori using PCR, histopathological examination and culture were 84, 77 and 63%, respectively. When the infection was defined, by the agreement of culture and histopathological examination or by positive culture, the PCR assay had a sensitivity of 98.1% and a specificity of 84.6%. When the infection was defined by a positive result of either two of the three tests or by positive culture, the PCR assay had a sensitivity of 98.6% and a specificity of 85.7%. We conclude that the PCR assay is a valuable test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection in gastroduodenal diseases.
- Published
- 1996