Method for detecting Helicobacter pylori DNA in a stool sample

A method of detecting Helicobacter pylori DNA in a stool sample, the method comprising:

• a) performing a nested PCR reaction comprising DNA isolated from a stool sample as a template and a first and second oligonucleotide primer set specific for amplifying H. Pylori-specific target sequences in an H. pylori 23S rRNA gene in an amplification reaction,
• wherein the first oligonucleotide primer set comprises an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or consisting of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides present in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1 and an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 2 or consisting of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides present in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 2,
• wherein the second oligonucleotide primer set comprises an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 3 or consisting of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides present in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 3 and an oligonucleotide primer comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 4 or consisting of at least 10 contiguous nucleotides present in the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 4,
• wherein the H. pylori-specific target sequence of the first oligonucleotide primer set is a nucleotide region of an H. pylori 23S rRNA gene corresponding to positions 1937-2793 of SEQ ID NO:
• 13 and at least part of said nucleotide region is amplified in the PCR reaction by the first oligonucleotide primer set, and
• wherein the H. Pylori-specific target sequence of the second oligonucleotide primer set is a nucleotide region of an H. pylori 23S rRNA gene corresponding to positions 2482-2624 of SEQ ID NO:
• 13 and at least part of said nucleotide region is amplified in the PCR reaction by the second oligonucleotide primer set;
• and
• b) detecting H. pylori DNA in said stool sample when the H. pylori -specific target sequences are amplified.