HP and infection: Talarico et al. (2016) developed a fecal-based microdroplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay targeting the 16S rRNA and CagA virulence genes of Hp. Using microdroplet partitioning, this method achieved 10 copies/μL sensitivity in low-biomass samples by reducing background interference. Unlike quantitative PCR (qPCR), ddPCR offers superior inhibitor tolerance and absolute quantification of infection severity, establishing a standardized framework for fecal analysis in animal models. Further applications of PCR in characterizing Hp infection models are summarized in Table 2.