Antibiotic susceptibilities of Helicobacter pylori.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of resistance among 83 Helicobacter pylori isolates cultured from biopsies taken during routine endoscopies in 1998-1999. METHODS Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of amoxicillin, tetracycline, clarithromycin and metronidazole were determined by Epsilometer test. RESULTS Forty-seven strains (57%) were resistant to metronidazole, and 27 (32.5%) were resistant to clarithromycin. Twenty of the 27 strains resistant to clarithromycin were also resistant to metronidazole. None of the strains were resistant to amoxicillin or tetracycline. CONCLUSION A high percentage of patients from Bahrain were infected with resistant strains of Helicobacter pylori. Antibiotic resistance monitoring is very important and unified national treatment policies are needed.