In vitro activity of omeprazole in combination with several antimicrobial agents against clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori.

An agar dilution checkerboard method was used to evaluate the in vitro activity of omeprazole combined with clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and ceftibuten, respectively, against clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori. Mueller-Hinton agar plus 5% horse blood, an inoculum of 10(6) cfu/ml, and incubation of 72 h in a CO2 atmosphere were used. With the omeprazole and clarithromycin combination, synergism was observed in 51.5% and partial synergism in 39.3% of 33 strains; with omeprazole and amoxicillin, synergism was observed in 3% and partial synergism in 60.6% of 33 strains; and with omeprazole and ceftibuten, synergism was observed in 33.3% and partial synergism in 50% of 24 strains. Antagonism between omeprazole and each antibiotic was exhibited in 0%, 6.1%, and 4.1% of these groups of strains, respectively. Of the antibiotic combinations tested, omeprazole plus clarithromycin exhibited synergism (partial or total) in the highest percentage of strains.