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Culture-Free Rapid Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for Helicobacter pylori Based on Fluorescence Rapid On-Site Evaluation Technology: A Preliminary Study

Li B, Lin Z, Hou Y, Wu K, Han J, Liu J, Zhang J, Yang M

2026

40 participants

Abstract

Abstract Background Phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has relied on bacterial culture for three decades, requiring 5–7 days to yield results. Genotypic rapid tests can only detect known resistance mutations and fail to reliably identify amoxicillin resistance. To our knowledge, no culture-free rapid phenotypic AST method for H. pylori has been previously reported. Methods We developed a phenotypic AST method based on fluorescence rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) technology that completely bypasses bacterial culture. Gastric mucosal biopsy specimens from 40 H. pylori-positive patients were homogenized and co-incubated with an acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB)-based viability staining reagent and three first-line antibiotics—amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and levofloxacin—at concentrations corresponding to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) breakpoints for H. pylori, at 37°C for 1 hour. Fluorescence intensity was measured using a microplate reader. A reduction in fluorescence relative to an antibiotic-free control indicated susceptibility, whereas no significant reduction indicated resistance. Conventional culture-based AST (E-test) served as the reference method. The overall concordance rate, sensitivity, specificity, and Cohen's kappa coefficient were calculated. Results Fourteen of the 40 samples had unsuccessful culture and were excluded, leaving 26 samples for statistical…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 40 participants or records.

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