Comparison of stool immunoassay with standard methods for detecting Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is the cause of type B gastritis and associated with peptic ulcer disease. Various methods are available for detecting H pylori , but all have limitations.1 H pylori infection can be diagnosed by tests requiring endoscopy (rapid urease test, histology, culture) and by non-invasive tests (carbon-13 urea breath test, serology, stool tests). The urea breath test is currently the most important test for follow up after H pylori treatment.1 Serology is widely used for screening patients for H pylori infection; it has a good sensitivity, is fast, and relatively inexpensive.1 However, the urea breath test is expensive and requires specialised equipment, and serological tests cannot be used after H pylori treatment and may have a lower specificity. Most patients infected with H pylori are treated by general practitioners, who need an easy …