Culture of the organisms and histochemical identification

The detection of Campylobacter pylori in the upper gastrointestinal tract has important implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of peptic disease. C. pylori is best isolated from biopsies using blood agar or chocolate blood agar incorporating a selective supplement. Plates should be incubated under microaerophilic conditions for five days. A Gram's stain of a biopsy smear provides a more rapid result but the organism may be patchy in its distribution. Of the histochemical methods used, the H & E stain reveals the presence or absence of gastritis and the Warthin-Starry Silver Stain is the most frequently used to detect this organism. The diagnosis of C. pylori infection is now possible in most pathology laboratories.