Evaluation of staining methods for identifying Campylobacter pylori

Abstract

Campylobacter pylori has been implicated in the pathogenesis of peptide ulcer disease. The rapid identification of this organism may depend upon histologic diagnosis, because culture methods are complex and require a minimum of seven days in order to identify a negative specimen. The purpose of this study was to determine which stain used to identify this organism was the most cost-effective and easiest to perform and interpret on a routine basis. Sixty-one consecutive gastric antral biopsies were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Giemsa, Brown-Brenn, and Warthin-Starry, with 23 of the cases stained by Brown-Hopps. Of the stains tested, the Wright-Giemsa was the easiest to perform. The organisms on the Wright-Giemsa showed a smooth, uniform purple color, whereas the Warthin-Starry gave the organism a granular appearance that at times could be confused for silver precipitate. Both the Wright-Giemsa and Brown-Hopps stain had the highest degree of identification of the organism (defined by percent positivity). The routine use of the Wright-Giemsa stain for identification of C. pylori in antral biopsies is recommended.