Assessment of Helicobacter pylori Viability by Flow Cytometry

Background: flow cytometry is a rapid , sensitive, and reliable method for determination of bacterial viability. here we assayed the capability of flow cytometry to detect helicobacter pylori viable cells in both forms of spiral and coccoid .methods: viable bacteria stained with rhodamin 123 and fluore sced with laser beam of 488nm. the rate of rh 123 absorptionwas determined in both forms of bacteria. results: in positi ve control that consi sted of live bacteria, the rate of rh 123 absorption was at highest, but negative control that cons isted of dead bacteria, the rate of rh 123 absorption was at lowestabsorpti on. this method showed that non-culturable cocc oid forms of h. pylori, which could resist environmental stresses,were alive and might be responsible for bacteri al transmission and fa ilure in disease treatment. conclusion: due to simplicity,reliability, and sensitivity of flow cytometry, this method is preferred to other expensive and no reliable methodssuch as autoradiography, per and electron micro scopy used for assessment viability.