[Detection and differentiation of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsy and saliva by PCR-SSCP].

In this study we detected the species-specific antigen gene of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) from gastric biopsy specimens and saliva of 48 patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), then adopted single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) to differentiate Hp strains from population and different sites of the same individual. Among patients of positive gastric biopsy results, the detection rate of saliva was 72.2% (26/36). In 12 patients of negative gastric biopsy results, 2 saliva specimens were positive. Further SSCP analysis demonstrated that in population the infected Hp strains showed 6 different band patterns. SSCP analysis of PCR products from the gastric biopsy specimen and saliva of the same individual showed no significant difference. The results showed that Hp at different sites of one individual probably belongs to the same strain.