Kim SM, Rahaman MI, Bang CS, Lee S, Kim HW, Kim SW, Ahn JY, Jung HY, Kim YH, Gong EJ. Optimal liquid culture media for Helicobacter pylori: Strain-specific growth in different broth formulations. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(43): 111876 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i43.111876]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Eun Jeong Gong, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Sakju-ro 77, Chuncheon 24253, Gangwon-do, South Korea. gong-eun@hanmail.net
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
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Basic Study
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Nov 21, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 20, 2025
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World Journal of Gastroenterology
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1007-9327
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Kim SM, Rahaman MI, Bang CS, Lee S, Kim HW, Kim SW, Ahn JY, Jung HY, Kim YH, Gong EJ. Optimal liquid culture media for Helicobacter pylori: Strain-specific growth in different broth formulations. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(43): 111876 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i43.111876]
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2025; 31(43): 111876 Published online Nov 21, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i43.111876
Optimal liquid culture media for Helicobacter pylori: Strain-specific growth in different broth formulations
So Myoung Kim, Md Intazur Rahaman, Chang Seok Bang, Seokil Lee, Hye Won Kim, So Won Kim, Ji Yong Ahn, Hwoon-Yong Jung, Young-Hoon Kim, Eun Jeong Gong
So Myoung Kim, Md Intazur Rahaman, Seokil Lee, Hye Won Kim, So Won Kim, Young-Hoon Kim, Department of Pharmacology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
Chang Seok Bang, Eun Jeong Gong, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon 24253, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Ji Yong Ahn, Hwoon-Yong Jung, Department of Gastroenterology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, South Korea
Co-first authors: So Myoung Kim and Md Intazur Rahaman.
Co-corresponding authors: Young-Hoon Kim and Eun Jeong Gong.
Author contributions: Gong EJ, Kim SW, and Ahn JY contributed to conceptualization; Kim SM, Rahaman MI, Bang CS, Lee S, and Kim YH contributed to methodology. Kim SM and Rahaman MI performed experiments, data analysis, and prepared the first draft of the manuscript. Both authors have made crucial and indispensable contributions towards the completion of the project and thus qualified as the co-first authors of the paper. Bang CS prepared the first draft of the manuscript and responsible for data re-analysis and re-interpretation, comprehensive literature search, and submission of the current version of the manuscript; Lee S, Kim HW, Kim SW, and Ahn JY contributed to investigation and statistical analyses; Kim YH and Gong EJ designed the research, reviewed and edited the draft, and performed critical revision. Both Kim YH and Gong EJ played important and indispensable roles in the experimental design, data interpretation and manuscript preparation as the co-corresponding authors; Bang CS and Gong EJ applied for and obtained the funds for this research project; Jung HY and Gong EJ supervised the whole process of the project; and all authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Supported by the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation Funded by the Korean Government (MSIT), No. RS-2023-00223501; and Hallym University Research Fund.
Institutional review board statement: This study was exempt from the Institutional Review Board Approval.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Eun Jeong Gong, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Sakju-ro 77, Chuncheon 24253, Gangwon-do, South Korea. gong-eun@hanmail.net
Received: July 14, 2025 Revised: August 7, 2025 Accepted: October 13, 2025 Published online: November 21, 2025 Processing time: 132 Days and 8.5 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The unique survival environment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) presents challenges in establishing appropriate in vitro culture conditions. The fastidious nature of H. pylori and its relatively low growth rate emphasize the need for customized culture conditions, which are essential for both research and clinical applications.
AIM
To identify the optimal liquid culture medium for H. pylori using both reference and clinical strains.
METHODS
Nine H. pylori strains were incubated in 10 different broth media commonly used for bacterial cultures under microaerophilic conditions. Bacterial concentrations were estimated using serial dilutions and the pour plate method. A range of H. pylori initial inoculum concentrations was tested for each strain. For growth evaluation, optical density at 600 nm was measured at 24, 48, and 72 hours. The growth trends of H. pylori were compared among strains and media.
RESULTS
All H. pylori strains grew successfully over time, regardless of the initial inoculum concentration. The specific growth trends and the broth that yielded the highest optical density value at each time point varied with strain. The reference strains (H. pylori 26695, ATCC 43504, and J99) consistently exhibited robust growth, whereas the clinical strains displayed distinct media preferences. Overall, bacterial growth was higher in chopped meat carbohydrate broth, Columbia broth, and fastidious anaerobe broth than in Brucella broth after 72 hours.
CONCLUSION
Chopped meat carbohydrate broth was the most effective for H. pylori liquid culture, and Columbia broth and fastidious anaerobe broth also supported greater growth than Brucella broth.
Core Tip: Unique survival environments for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) present challenges for establishing appropriate in vitro culture conditions. This study aimed to identify the optimal liquid culture medium for H. pylori using both reference and clinical strains. The choice of liquid medium significantly influenced H. pylori growth. Chopped meat carbohydrate broth was found to be the most effective medium for H. pylori liquid culture. Columbia broth and fastidious anaerobe broth supported greater growth than Brucella broth.
