Evaluation of PCR Methods and Urease in Diagnosis of Patients with Helicobacter pylori Infection in Qazvin, Iran

Abstract

Background: Plenty of efforts have been made to introduce potential biomarkers specific for Helicobacter pylori to offer efficient screening methods for detecting positive individuals. In order to establish a reliable platform to prevent and control H. pylori infections and to amend reversible risk factors, it is obviously required to decipher the epidemiologic characteristics of the infection in a certain society. Objectives: Our study was designed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infections in patients with upper gastrointestinal disorders in Qazvin province, Iran, where there is lack of evidences in this context. Methods: This descriptive, cross sectional study included 100 patients suffering from gastric and duodenal symptoms. To identify H. pylori infections in the gastric biopsy samples, urease enzyme detection method as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used. Results: Positive H. pylori infections were seen by PCR in 56% and 44% of men and women, respectively. The results achieved by urease enzyme detection method showed 52.5% and 47.5% positive samples in men and women participants, respectively. Conclusions: Although there was a high prevalence of H. pylori infection among the study population using urease method and PCR technique, no significant correlation was observed between the infection and participant’s sex, age, or job.