Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction methods for detection of murine Helicobacter in nine diagnostic laboratories.

Helicobacter infections of laboratory animals may influence the results of in vivo experiments, necessitating diagnostic methods that are specific, sensitive and rapid. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is currently the preferred diagnostic tool for detecting Helicobacter infections in mice; however, detection ability may vary considerably among laboratories. Nine commercial and academic European labs participated in a 3-year ring study that was designed to explore this problem. The authors sought to identify which PCR methods were used for detection of murine Helicobacter spp. in fecal pellets and to compare the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of these methods. The study consisted of four rounds in which labs tested mouse fecal samples spiked with H. bilis, H. hepaticus or H. muridarum. The first round showed differences of up to 3 logs in detection sensitivity. Over the course of the study, sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of PCR results in all labs improved substantially. By the study's conclusion, diagnostic ability in all labs was sufficient to reliably detect Helicobacter in naturally infected mice