Rates of clarithromycin resistance in Helicobacter pylori sampled from healthy subjects in Cheonan, Korea

Background The increasing use of the standard triple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has led to an increase in the prevalence of strains resistant to existing drugs, thereby lowering the success rate of eradication therapies. Aims This study aimed at promoting effective eradication therapy by investigating the H. pylori infection rate, incidence of clarithromycin resistance, and types of mutations. Methods Using a PCR kit that amplifies a gene site known to be resistant to antibiotics in H. pylori, the resistance gene retention rate is determined and analyzed using various methods. The rapid urease test (RUT) was performed on patients undergoing routine health exams in Cheonan, and residual specimens were analyzed through DPO-based multiplex PCR to examine point mutations of the 23S rRNA gene, a gene responsible for clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori. Results The statistical program R was used for data analysis. Data are presented as medians and ranges. A chi-square test was used to analyze the categorical data. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RUT and DPO-based multiplex PCR were 95.9 per cent in agreement with regard to the H. pylori infection rate, and the prevalence of the A2142G and A2143G mutations—point mutations for clarithromycin resistance—was 3.9 per cent and 22.8 per cent, respectively. Conclusion This data will serve as a basis for research on drug resistance in H. pylori, reflecting regional differences in Korea.