Detection of Helicobacter pylori using nested polymerase chain reaction and rapid urease test in gastric biopsy samples.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to compare nested polymerase chain reaction and rapid urease test findings in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. METHODS: Two gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from each of 64 patients and polymerase chain reaction and rapid urease test were performed. DNA extraction was followed by amplification with two primer pairs from the urease A gene of Helicobacter pylori genome. RESULTS: Fourty two patients (65.6%) had a positive rapid urease test result while 22 (34.4%) had a negative result for Helicobacter pylori. Sixty of 64 patients (93.8 %) had a positive result with the nested polymerase chain reaction method. Four patients with negative nested polymerase chain reaction results also had negative rapid urease test results. All of the eighteen patients with rapid urease test-negative results were positive with nested polymerase chain reaction. The number of nested polymerase chain reaction-positive patients (93.8%) was significantly higher than rapid urease test-positive (65.6%) and first round polymerase chain reaction-positive (53.1%) patients (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the nested polymerase chain reaction is more specific and sensitive than the rapid urease test for detecting Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy samples.