A recent study has shed light on the concerning issue of antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains among people in Northwestern and Central Romania. The research, conducted by a team of medical experts, aimed to scrutinize the resistance patterns of H. pylori isolates collected from gastric biopsies utilizing both culture-based and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods.

The study, which involved 148 adult patients (87 females and 61 males), focused predominantly on people from Northwestern and Central Romania. Among the patients, 69 strains of H. pylori were identified utilizing both culture and PCR methods, while 63 biopsies yielded negative results by both techniques. Notably, 1 biopsy tested positive via culture but negative through PCR, while 15 biopsies showed the opposite results.

The key findings revealed primary resistance against Metronidazole, Fluoroquinolones, and Clarithromycin in 16.7%, 11.1%, and 13.3% of strains, respectively. Conversely, no primary resistance was witnessed against Rifampicin, Tetracycline, and Amoxicillin. Resistance to Clarithromycin, Fluoroquinolones, Metronidazole, Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, and Rifampicin as secondary antibiotics were identified in 75.8%, 30.3%, 65.5%, 1.8%, 1.8%, and 7.3% of the H. pylori strains, respectively.

Genetic analysis using GenoType HelicoDR identified the A2147G genotype as the most frequent Clarithromycin-resistant strain, accounting for 62.3% of cases. Moreover, there was a substantial level of concordance between ETEST (a recommended method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration of tested antibiotics) and PCR methods, particularly for Clarithromycin (85.5%) and Fluoroquinolones (78.3%).

These results emphasize the critical necessity for additional research into H. pylori resistance patterns to develop efficient eradication strategies. With antibiotic resistance on the rise, especially in regions like Northwestern and Central Romania, it is imperative to implement robust surveillance and treatment protocols to combat this growing public health concern.