Skip to main content
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1989 Aug;30(8):1058–1062. doi: 10.1136/gut.30.8.1058

Detection of Campylobacter pylori by the biopsy urease test: an assessment in 1445 patients.

C A McNulty 1, J C Dent 1, J S Uff 1, M W Gear 1, S P Wilkinson 1
PMCID: PMC1434183  PMID: 2767501

Abstract

The presence of C pylori infection was determined in 1445 patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy over a 12 month period. The presence of C pylori was detected in gastric mucosal biopsy specimens by the biopsy urease test, microscopy (Gram stained smears and histology) and culture. Two media were used for the biopsy urease test: Christensen's urea broth (for the first 600 patients) and the Christensen's urea broth modified by increasing the concentration of phenol red and omitting the nutrients, glucose and peptone (for the remaining patients). Both the Christensen's urea broth and modified urea broth were almost 100% specific when compared with detection of C pylori by Gram, culture and histopathology. The modified broth was more sensitive (96% sensitivity compared with culture) than the Christensen's broth (92% sensitivity) but this difference was not statistically significant. The modified broth gave significantly more positive results (58%) in less than 30 minutes than the Christensen's broth (48%). Seventy four per cent of positive results were available in less than two hours. Specimens from patients with extensive C pylori infection gave more rapid results: 86% of specimens that yielded a profuse growth of C pylori and 76% that contained numerous organisms on histological sections had a positive urease test in less than one hour. There was no significant difference between the specificity and sensitivity of our modified urea broth and the other modified broths described in the literature. This test is a cheap and rapid alternative to the diagnosis of C pylori by Gram stained smears or culture.

Full text

PDF
1058

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Arvind A. S., Cook R. S., Tabaqchali S., Farthing M. J. One-minute endoscopy room test for Campylobacter pylori. Lancet. 1988 Mar 26;1(8587):704–704. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(88)91501-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blaser M. J. Gastric Campylobacter-like organisms, gastritis, and peptic ulcer disease. Gastroenterology. 1987 Aug;93(2):371–383. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(87)91028-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Campylobacter-like organisms in the stomach of patients and healthy individuals. Lancet. 1984 Jun 16;1(8390):1348–1349. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hayward R. A., Shapiro M. F., Oye R. K. Laboratory testing on cerebrospinal fluid. A reappraisal. Lancet. 1987 Jan 3;1(8523):1–4. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)90698-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hazell S. L., Borody T. J., Gal A., Lee A. Campylobacter pyloridis gastritis I: Detection of urease as a marker of bacterial colonization and gastritis. Am J Gastroenterol. 1987 Apr;82(4):292–296. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Marshall B. J. Campylobacter pyloridis and gastritis. J Infect Dis. 1986 Apr;153(4):650–657. doi: 10.1093/infdis/153.4.650. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Marshall B. J., Warren J. R., Francis G. J., Langton S. R., Goodwin C. S., Blincow E. D. Rapid urease test in the management of Campylobacter pyloridis-associated gastritis. Am J Gastroenterol. 1987 Mar;82(3):200–210. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. McNulty C. A., Wise R. Rapid diagnosis of Campylobacter-associated gastritis. Lancet. 1985 Jun 22;1(8443):1443–1444. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(85)91865-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Mobley H. L., Cortesia M. J., Rosenthal L. E., Jones B. D. Characterization of urease from Campylobacter pylori. J Clin Microbiol. 1988 May;26(5):831–836. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.5.831-836.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morris A., McIntyre D., Rose T., Nicholson G. Rapid diagnosis of Campylobacter pyloridis infection. Lancet. 1986 Jan 18;1(8473):149–149. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)92280-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Trowell J. E., Yoong A., Saul K. J., Gant P. W., Bell G. D. Simple half-gram stain for showing presence of Campylobacter pyloridis in sections. J Clin Pathol. 1987 Jun;40(6):702–702. doi: 10.1136/jcp.40.6.702-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Vaira D., Holton J., Cairns S., Falzon M., Salmon P. Four hour rapid urease test (RUT) for detecting Campylobacter pylori: is it reliable enough to start treatment? J Clin Pathol. 1988 Mar;41(3):355–356. doi: 10.1136/jcp.41.3.355-b. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Vaira D., Holton J., Cairns S., Polydorou A., Falzon M., Dowsett J., Salmon P. R. Urease tests for Campylobacter pylori: care in interpretation. J Clin Pathol. 1988 Jul;41(7):812–813. doi: 10.1136/jcp.41.7.812. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES