Evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to common antibiotics in Tabriz, northwest of Iran

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of resistance rate in Helicobacter pylori against commonly used antibiotics including tetracycline, metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, erythromycin and rifampin in Iranian patients. Methods: H. pylori isolates were obtained from gastric biopsies from patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Emam Reza hospital of Tabriz. H. pylori was identified based on gram staining and biochemical tests (catalase, oxidase, and urease activity). All positive cultures were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility by used of disk agar diffusion for all antibiotics and Etest method for tetracycline and metronidazole. Results: One hundred and four H. pylori isolates were obtained from 322 patients, mean age 39 ±17 years, 145 were women and 177 were men. The prevalence of resistance of H. pylori isolates were 10.6% for tetracycline, 77.9% for metronidazole, 15.4% for clarithromycin, 22.1% for amoxicillin, 39.4% for ciprofloxacin, 4.8% for nitrofurantoin, 24% for erythromycin and 26.9% for rifampin by used of disk agar diffusion. Conclusions: The prevalence of H. pylori antibiotic resistance to metronidazole was high, while resistance to tetracycline was low in this area. There was an increasing trend in antibiotics clarithromycin, metronidazole and ciprofloxacin. Therefore, surveillance of antibiotic susceptibility test for H. pylori is essential. Key word: H. pylori, Tetracycline, Metronidazole, antibiotic susceptibility _____________________________________________________________________________________________