Detection and amplification of Helicobacter pylori urease gene A in gastric biopsies by using nested polymerase (?)hain reaction

A nested polymerase chain reaction(N-PCR)for the spegific detection of Helicobacterpylori(H.pylori)was developed with two primer pairs(nested primers)derived from ureasegene A of H.pylori.The N-PCR was used to detect 21 different samples of H.pylori including20 clinical isolates and 1 reference strain NCTC 14126,but it was negative for other bacterialspecies,showing the N-PCR assay to be 100% specific.Tenfold serial dilution experiments re-vealed the detection of as little as 0.1 fg of H.pylori DNA by N-PCR.To evaluate the PCR as-say for clinical samples,gastric biopsies were tested with N-PCR,and the results were comparedwith those of culture,urease test and histologic examination(reference standard,RS).In 30biopsy specimens,H.pylori DNA sequences were detected by PCR in all of 20(100%)positivetissue and none of the 10 negative tissues.PCR is a specific and sensitive method that can detectthe presence of H.pylori without the need for culture and would have significant importance di-agnostically and epidemiologically.