Helicobacter Pylori Resistance to Metronidazole and Clarithromycin in Dyspeptic Patients in Iran

Background: The resistance of H. pylori to the recently available antibiotic treatment regimens has been a growing problem. The prevalence of high antibiotic resistance of H. pylori is the most common reason of its eradication failure. The purpose of the present study is to determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among H. pylori strains isolated from Iranian patients. Method: We investigated the prevalence of H. pylori resistance to metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and tetracycline among 128 H. pylori isolates from Iranian patients. After the culture of biopsy specimens and identification, susceptibility tests was performed with Modified Disk Diffusion Method (MDDM) and E. test. Results: Resistance rates to metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and tetracycline were 64%, 23%, 2.5% and 0%, respectively. Seventy two percent of the metronidazole resistance strains had MIC>256mg/ml (High- Level-Resistance). Discussion: Due to the increasing rate of antibiotic resistance in H. pylori strains and in order to decrease the treatment cost, testing of susceptibility to metronidazole and clarithromycin is recommended.