H. PYLORI CULTURE & SENSITIVITY

Test Name

Aliases

HELICOBACTER PYLORI CULTURE & SENSITIVITY

Abbreviations

H. PYLORI C&S, H. PYLORI C/S

Test Classification

INDIVIDUAL

Department

MICROBIOLOGY

Sub Department

BACTERIOLOGY

TAT Category

ELAPSED (CONTINUOUS) TIME

Estimated TAT

TAT Units

DAYS

Test Requirements

Sample type: Gastric biopsy specimens (antral and/or corpus mucosal biopsies) collected via upper GI endoscopy. Patient preparation: Patient should ideally be off PPIs for 2 weeks and off antibiotics for 4 weeks prior to collection to maximize yield. Sample (biopsy) handling: Place immediately into appropriate transport medium (e.g., sterile saline, brain-heart infusion broth, or a commercially prepared H. pylori transport medium such as Port-A-Cul or equivalent anaerobic transport). DO NOT PLACE IN FORMALIN (this is for histology only — formalin is incompatible with culture). Deliver promptly to the lab. Transport refrigerated.

Clinical Utility

H. pylori culture and sensitivity testing isolates the bacterium from gastric biopsy samples, confirming infection and determining antibiotic susceptibility. This guides targeted treatment, especially for resistant strains, improving eradication rates and patient outcomes in peptic ulcer disease and gastritis.

Last Review

26th Feb 2026