A simple antibody test may be as effective in detecting Helicobacter pylori infection as more invasive procedures now being used.
Researchers from the University of Würzburg in Germany reported in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology on the sensitivity of H pylori–specific IgG antibodies in diagnostic use. In their study, the antibody test had a 98% sensitivity, correctly diagnosing 58 of 59 patients who had been diagnosed by standard methods. Specificity was 71%.
"The current gold standard tests in clinical practice—endoscopy for histology and the rapid urease test—are limited by their relatively high costs and the need for invasive procedures," the researchers wrote. "Determination of antibodies against H pylori presents a relatively simple diagnostic method, with kits that can be used to perform this method now being readily available from commercial sources."
The H pylori bacterium survives in the stomach's harsh acidic environment, causing . . . [Full Text of this Article]
