A two-step PCR-based assay of a small region of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria can help detect H. pylori infection and also identify clarithromycin-resistant bacteria and those that are drug-sensitive in six-seven hours has been developed by a team of researchers from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Kolkata. Since H. pylori bacteria grow slowly, it takes about a week to culture the bacteria and a couple of more weeks to test for drug-sensitivity, which the new diagnostic assay bypasses. The molecular-based assay has been found to have 100% sensitivity and specificity.
There is an increasing trend of clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori bacteria in India leading to a decreasing success rate in treating the infection.
Most of the infections caused by the bacterium H. pylori are asymptomatic, 10–15% of them develop peptic ulcer disorders or stomach cancer. In India, H. pylori infections affect 60-70% of the population. H. pylori infection is often acquired during childhood and remains in the stomach throughout life if not treated with antibiotics effectively. So, if someone suffers from gastroduodenal diseases along with the detection of H. pylori infection, eradication of the bacteria provides the most effective treatment. Importantly, H. pylori infection is one of the robust known risk factors for gastric cancer.
