Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in eighty clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori

Chemotherapy. 1999 Jan-Feb;45(1):8-14. doi: 10.1159/000007159.

Abstract

We studied the in vitro susceptibility of 80 Helicobacter pylori clinical isolates to several antimicrobials commonly used to treat the infection, using the Epsilometer test (E-test). We also compared E-test and disk diffusion test in determining H. pylori susceptibility to the same antibiotics. We found a high prevalence of H. pylori strains resistant to metronidazole (23.7%), whereas the prevalence of H. pylori strains resistant to clarithromycin was 10%. Also, a significant correlation was found between MICs obtained with the disk diffusion test and E-test for metronidazole and clarithromycin. In conclusion, our study confirms a high prevalence of metronidazole- or clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori strains. Also, our data suggest that the E-test is a single, reliable, and cost-effective method to assess in vitro susceptibility of H. pylori to antimicrobial agents commonly used to eradicate the infection.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Helicobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Helicobacter pylori / drug effects*
  • Helicobacter pylori / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents