Comparison of the urease test and of direct smear examination in the control of treatment of Helicobacter pylori-induced infection

• Published in: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research Vol. 26; no. 7; pp. 699 - 702
• Main Authors: RESENDE, L. M. H, QUEIROZ, D. M. M, MENDES, E. N, ROCHA, G. A, COELHO, L. G. V, PASSOS, M. C. F, CASTRO, L. P, OLIVEIRA, C. A, LIMA, G. F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ribeirão Preto Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 01.07.1993
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Enzyme Tests; Duodenal Ulcer - microbiology; Female; Gastric Mucosa - microbiology; Helicobacter Infections - diagnosis; Helicobacter pylori; Helicobacter pylori - isolation & purification; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Pyloric Antrum - microbiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Time Factors; Urease - analysis; Human; Spirillales; Enzyme; Treatment efficiency; Spirillaceae; Check; Urease; Eradication; Antimicrobial agent; Infection; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Helicobacter pylori; Investigation method; Bacteriosis; Smear; Digestive diseases; Bacteria; Mucosa disease; Diagnosis; Gastric disease
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X

The sensitivity and specificity of the preformed urease test and of carbolfuchsin-stained smears for the diagnosis of the presence of Helicobacter pylori in gastric mucosa were evaluated before and after antimicrobial treatment. The results obtained by culture were used as the reference point. We studied 41 patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer. Twenty-five of these were treated with furazolidone (100 mg t.i.d.), amoxicillin (500 mg t.i.d.) and metronidazole (250 mg t.i.d.) for 5 days and then with only furazolidone (100 mg t.i.d.) for an additional 25 days. The 16 control patients were treated with cimetidine (800 mg, 4 times a day). The sensitivity of the urease test and of direct smear examination was 100% before treatment and 84.6% and 92.3%, respectively, after treatment. We conclude that the urease test and carbolfuchsin-stained smears, which are highly sensitive for H. pylori diagnosis, present reduced sensitivity when they are employed for the follow-up of patients treated with antimicrobials.