In this study, we aimed to isolate and genotype H. pylori strains from gastric biopsies of patients having gastroduodenal complaints. Our isolation rate was 32.8% (64/21),suggesting that culture was a relatively weak diagnostic tool for H. pylori infection. We used multiplex PCR to identify the cagA, vacA s1/s2, and vacA m1/m2 genotypes. Our results indicated that 71.4% of the strains were both cagA-positive and cagA-negative. The predominant vacA genotype was s1/m1 (100%), followed by s1/m2 (62.5%). Only one isolate was s2/m2, as expected, since samples were obtained from patients with clinical symptoms. In terms of allelic vacA combinations, in cagA+ samples, 9 (42.8%), 5 (23.8%), and 1(4.8%) strains carried s1/m1, s1/m2, and s2/m2 genotypes, respectively. None of the cagA- strain was determined to have s1/m1 vacA genotype. However, s1/ m2 and s2/m2 vacA genotypes were found equally (14.3%) in this group. The association between s1/m1 vacA genotype and cagA status was found statistically significant (P0.05).
Dellal et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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