Comparing Three Types of Staining Methods: Hematoxylin & Eosin, Giemsa, and Hematoxylin & Eosin with Prolonged Hematoxylin time in Detection of Helicobacter Pylori in Gastric Biopsies of Patients with Chronic Gastritis

Regarding the high incidence of upper GI(gastrointestinal) inflammatory diseases and the clear role of helicobacter pylori in their pathogenesis, this study was designed to evaluate the ability of different staining methods in detection of this bacterium. In an analytical cross-sectional study, 50 patients suffering from upper GI symptoms who were referred to the clinics of Iran University of Medical Sciences were selected and endoscopy was done for them. Obtained gastric mucosal biopsies were stained by three different staining methods including Hematoxylin & Eosin(H&E), Giemsa and Hematoxylin & Eosin stain with prolonged hematoxylin time, and the abilities of these methods for detection of helicobacter pylori were compared to each other by using McNemar test. In Giemsa and H&E method with prolonged hematoxylin time, H.pylori was detected in 27 patients(54%) but in H&E stain, H.pylori was detected in 21 patients(42%). Concordance between Giemsa and H&E with prolonged hematoxylin was 100% and between H&E and two other methods was 88%, showing 77% sensitivity. H&E with prolonged hematoxylin time has comparable sensitivity with Giemsa method and because it is feasible and does not require other additional staining methods — to diagnose other pathological changes — is a good alternative to replace H&E and Giemsa methods.