Screening for Helicobacter pylori infection and Clarithromycin resistance using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction.

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is spread worldwide and affects at least half of the world's population. Infected people are at increased risk of several diseases' development, including gastric adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to screen patients with dyspeptic symptoms for H. pylori infection and assess Clarithromycin resistance prevalence among the infected patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Screening for H. pylori infection was performed in all patients using molecular test based on Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in feces after RNA-DNA extraction. Stool samples from all participants were collected 1 to 3 days after patients' hospitalization. The positive results were furthermore assessed for confirmation by breath test and stool antigen test. By point mutations detection in 23S rRNA gene was possible to detect Clarithromycin resistance. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: This study enrolled 50 patients (18 males) at mean age 46.46±15.10 years. Using molecular test based on RT-PCR in feces we identified H. pylori infection in 24 patients (48.00%). Clarithromycin resistance was observed in 7 of them (29.17%). None of those patients was eradicated before. There was no significant difference by age and gender between infected and non-infected patients. Gastrointestinal symptoms were more often reported in infected patients (p<0.05). The molecular test showed 85.71% sensitivity and 100% specificity, with a diagnostic accuracy of 92.00%. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori screening by molecular test based on RT-PCR in feces might be beneficial as the test's accuracy is high and include Clarithromycin resistance assessment, which could improve the outcome of eradication therapy.

Effect of probiotics on enrofloxacin disposition in gastrointestinal tract of poultry.

Probiotics are routinely used in poultry husbandry due to health benefit on the host. The gut microbiota is now recognized to exert an important influence on the absorption and pharmacokinetics of many compounds. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of candidate probiotics belonging to the species Lactobacillus brevis, L. plantarum and L. bulgaricus on pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin in healthy chickens. The probiotic administration leads to higher degree of metabolism of enrofloxacin to ciprofloxacin in liver. The antibacterial drug was significantly faster absorbed (kab of 0.61 ± 0.54 h(-1) and Tmax 7.81 ± 3.52 h) at lower concentrations (Cmax of 1.34 ± 0.18 µg·g(-1)) during the first 24 h of treatment in the probiotic's group. The values of kab , Tmax , and Cmax for the group, treated solely with enrofloxacin, were 0.10 ± 0.065 h(-1), 15.42 ± 3.07 h, and 1.61 ± 0.24 µg·g(-1), respectively. A significantly higher concentration of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin in the liver was observed in the group with the probiotic treatment. Disposition of both drugs was not significantly changed in the duodenum and in the jejunum. The selected dose is appropriate for treatment of infections caused by pathogens with MIC < 0.06 µg·mL(-1) irrespective of antibiotic administration alone or in combination with probiotics.

Influence of Lactobacillus brevis 15 and Lactobacillus plantarum 13 on blood glucose and body weight in rats after high-fructose diet.

In recent years, many authors have investigated the possible antidiabetic effect of lactic acid bacteria. Lactobacillus species constitute a major part of the lactic acid bacteria group and have been found to exhibit beneficial effects on the development of diabetes and its complications. In the current study, we investigated the effects of newly characterised Bulgarian Lactobacillus strains, Lactobacillus brevis 15 and Lactobacillus plantarum 13, on blood glucose levels and body weight of rats fed a fructose-enriched diet. An experiment was conducted over a period of 8 weeks with 24 2-month-old Wistar rats randomly assigned to receive a standard diet (Con, control group), fructose-enriched diet (Fr group), standard diet with probiotics given twice a week (Pro group), and fructose-enriched diet with probiotics given twice a week (Pro+Fr group). At the end of the experimental period, a statistically significant increase in body weight was observed in all experimental groups (P<0.0001). The highest rise was seen in the fructose group (Fr, 169±19 g), followed by the Pro+Fr group (153±15 g), Pro group (149±13 g), and Con group (141±5 g). Moreover, the final blood glucose levels had risen significantly in the groups receiving fructose either without (Fr; P<0.0001) or with lactobacilli (Pro+Fr; P=0.002), while the rise was insignificant in the group of rats given probiotic supplementation only (Pro, P=0.071) and inexistent in the Con group (P=0.999). The highest elevation of blood glucose levels was observed in the Fr group (3.18 mmol/l), followed by the Pro+Fr group (2.00 mmol/l) whereas the Pro group showed the lowest levels (0.60 mmol/l). The results of our study suggest that the newly characterised Bulgarian Lactobacillus strains, L. brevis 15 and L. plantarum 13, could be considered as possible probiotics and might be able to prevent some metabolic disturbances.