Bacterial culture has played an irreplaceable role in the discovery and characterisation of Helicobacter pylori. The main topic of the present article is to critically review the role of culture in the management of H. pylori infection in clinical practice, from diagnosis to treatment. The available data suggest that H. pylori culture is an invasive, time-consuming method, offering quite low sensitivity, requiring significant cost for the patient, and which, in practice, tests very few antibiotics, with a questionable contribution to the management of non-responder patients. Therefore, whether patients should undergo (and pay for) an upper endoscopy for bacterial culture remains a debatable matter.
Zullo, A., Hassan, C., Lorenzetti, R., Winn, S., Morini, S., A clinical practice viewpoint: to culture or not to culture Helicobacter pylori?, <<DIGESTIVE AND LIVER DISEASE>>, N/A; 35 (5): 357-361 [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/34646]
A clinical practice viewpoint: to culture or not to culture Helicobacter pylori?
Hassan, Cesare;
2003
Abstract
Bacterial culture has played an irreplaceable role in the discovery and characterisation of Helicobacter pylori. The main topic of the present article is to critically review the role of culture in the management of H. pylori infection in clinical practice, from diagnosis to treatment. The available data suggest that H. pylori culture is an invasive, time-consuming method, offering quite low sensitivity, requiring significant cost for the patient, and which, in practice, tests very few antibiotics, with a questionable contribution to the management of non-responder patients. Therefore, whether patients should undergo (and pay for) an upper endoscopy for bacterial culture remains a debatable matter.
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