Method Description

Viable and nonviable clinical isolates are processed by transferring up to a 1 mcL loop full of isolate into a swab neutralization buffer tube for thermal/physical lysis and then diluted 1:100 prior to testing. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay employs a target-specific detection system including primers, as well TaqMan detection probes alongside a SimpleProbe for melt curve analysis-based genotyping targeting the 23S ribosomal RNA gene. The LightCycler 480 II instrument amplifies and monitors target nucleic acid sequences by fluorescence during PCR cycling. Detection of amplified product is based on the TaqMan probe principle. For PCR product detection, the TaqMan probe binds the complementary strand of amplified target. Specific PCR Taq polymerase with 5'-3' exonuclease activity degrades the probe, releasing the fluorophore and breaking its proximity to the quencher molecule, allowing fluorescence of the fluorophores. At the conclusion of PCR cycling, amplified product is thermally denatured and then cooled to allow for a fluorescein labeled SimpleProbe to anneal to an 18-base pair region of the amplified target that includes the 2 position mutations associated clarithromycin resistance. The temperature is slowly raised while consistently monitoring fluorescence. The process is completed in a closed system to mitigate contamination. Further, contamination control is achieved through UNG enzymatic treatment and a master mix that includes deoxyuridine triphosphates.(Chen D, Cunningham SA, Cole NC, Kohner PC, Mandrekar JN, Patel R: Phenotypic and molecular antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017 Mar 24;61(4):e02530-16)