Helicobacter pylori Test

Doctors advise a Helicobacter pylori test in patients who frequently complain of:

• Bloating sensation in the abdomen
• A sensation of fullness in abdomen especially after meals
• Pain in the abdomen particularly on waking in the morning
• Nausea on waking

A Helicobacter pylori test is especially advised in people who suffered from cancer or an ulcer in the stomach in the past or have a family history of ulcer or cancer of the stomach.

The test is also commonly advised in people aged above 60 years and who have chronic inflammation of the stomach and small intestine and for those who frequently use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or pain killer medicines.

No special preparation is required before a blood test. However, if you are undergoing a urea breath test, stool test or biopsy, avoid taking antibiotics, antacid medicines (proton-pump inhibitors) and medicines containing bismuth two to four weeks before the test- check-in with your doctor to know the exact timing. Fasting is also required for about an hour before the urea breath test and endoscopy.

(Consult physician online)

Different procedures for Helicobacter pylori identification are performed in different ways. 

• Hand gloves should be used for every test
• A serology test is a blood test in which seven millilitres of blood is drawn from the patient’s body (arm) and collected in a tube with a red cap
• The stool antigen test involves the collection of random and well-formed stool sample in a sterilised container
• Urea breath test: 
  • You will be asked to swallow a capsule that contains urea in combination with a radioactive substance 
  • Make sure that you don't chew the pill
  • The capsule is generally taken along with a special test meal, which delays the passage of food from the stomach into the small intestines. As a result, urea remains in the stomach for a longer time and reacts with the inner lining of the stomach (gastric mucosa)
  • Breath samples will be collected a few minutes after the capsule is consumed. For which, you'll be instructed to breathe inside a special bag or balloon or on a breath card for up to 20 minutes. The collection bag will then be sent to the lab for detecting carbon dioxide in the sample

• Serology test:
  • A negative IgG test is indicative of the absence of H. pylori infection in the body
  • A positive IgG test indicates the presence of a previous H. pylori infection in the gastrointestinal tract, which was eliminated after treatment or an active current infection
• Breath and stool test:
  • The breath test and stool test mentioned above are highly sensitive in detecting an active H. pylori infection in the body, The values of a urea breath test are calculated based on the breakdown of the radioactive substance inside the capsule. A value of less than 50 disintegrations per minute (DPM) indicates the absence of H. pylori infection, whereas a breath urea value of more than 200 DPM a strong positive indication of an H. pylori infection.
  • Sometimes, a false negative urea breath test report is obtained when the patient fails to follow the instructions of avoiding antibiotics and antacid medicines for two weeks before the scheduled date of the test.
• Biopsy: Presence of H. pylori in a biopsy sample indicates that the apparent symptoms may be due to a helicobacter infection of the gut. However, bacteria obtained from a biopsy sample are cultured on an artificial medium in the laboratory to confirm the results of a biopsy.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.