Gastric biopsy for Helicobacter pylori

This test is referred to another lab outside our network
This does not affect where samples are sent and where your results are issued.
Description: 
Gastric or duodenal biopsies should be collected with sterile forceps (before collecting samples for histology) and are placed into a sterile container and sent to the laboratory. Samples are then sent to the national reference laboratory (PHE, Colindale) for culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing.
Clinical details: 
Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of peptic ulcer disease as well as contributing to gastric malignancies. It also associated with dyspeptic symptoms. Gastric or duodenal biopsies for culture are mainly reserved for patients with failure of first or second line antibiotic eradication therapy. Samples are submitted for culture to determine antimicrobial susceptibilities to help guide antimicrobial therapy.
Synonyms or keywords: 
Helicobacter , ulcer
Department: 
Infection Sciences Department
Location: 
St Thomas' Hospital
Sample type and Volume required: 
Sterile Universal Container - Gastric biopsy.
Specimens received in formol-saline are not suitable for culture.

Turnaround time: 
21 days
Criteria for acceptance / rejections of sample
Storage and transport: 
Place labelled sample in a sealed sample bag and transport promptly to Central Specimen Reception (CSR). Samples best collected on days other than Friday to ensure optimal processing in the Reference Laboratory.
Contacts:
Infection Sciences Department at St Thomas' Hospital
020 7188 8008
St Thomas' Hospital
North Wing - 5th Floor
Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7EH
Core opening hours: Monday-Friday 0900-1730


For clinical advice or interpretation of results, please contact the laboratory in the first instance.
Laboratory: 
Microbiology Laboratory at St Thomas'

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Last updated: 28/09/2020