HELICOBACTER PYLORI ISOLATES RECOVERED FROM ANTRAL GASTRIC BIOPSIES OF PATIENTS WITH DYSPEPTIC SYMPTOMS: ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF METRONIDAZOLE, CLARITHROMYCIN AND AMOXICILLIN.

Drug resistance in Helicobacter pylori infection is increasing worldwide. This is the main cause of failure of eradication therapy. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro resistance of commonly used antibiotics in H. pylori strains isolated from city of Konya in Turkey. 103 patients with dyspeptic symptoms were included in this study. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in each patient. Biopsy specimens obtained were cultured on selective medium Pylori agar. The MIC for amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole were determined by the Epsilometer test on Mueller-Hinton 7% sheep blood agar plates. Of the 103 specimens, 40 (38.8%) were positive for culture. Of the 40 strains, 28 were tested for in vitro antibiotic susceptibility of metronidazole, clarithromycin and amoxicillin by E-test method. All strains were susceptible to amoxicillin. Resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole were detected in 8 (28.5%) and 11 (39.2%) isolates, respectively. As resistance patterns in H. pylori isolates differ according to the geographical variation by time, it should be monitored locally for current recommending treatment regimen in every year. It was considered that performing culture and sensitivity testing of H. pylori resistance for prospective surveillance should be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]