Detection of Helicobacter pylori using nested polymerase chain reaction in gastric biopsy samples

Helicobacter pylori remains a controversial organism with regards to humans, its epidemiology still unclear nearly two decades after discovery. The present study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of the organism in the gastrointestinal tract in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects to understand its precise natural history in India. A total of 154 specimens were a part of the study. These included gastric biopsies from peptic ulcer disease and Non ulcer dyspepsia subjects, as visualized on endoscopy, saliva and stool samples from apparently normal healthy adults. Nested polymerase chain reaction was performed using the primers Hp1, Hp2, Hp3 targeting 16S rRNA gene. A prevalence of 65.1%, 100%, 66.7%, and 73.3% respectively was observed by polymerase chain reaction. No association was observed between the H.pylori status and the disease condition of the patient.