title: Evaluation of a rapid urease test to detect Campylobacter pylori infection.
abstract: Seventy-five consecutive patients referred for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy were evaluated for Campylobacter pylori infection by pathology, culture, and a biochemical test to detect bacterial urease. Forty-eight patients (64%) had C. pylori present based on pathology or culture or both. Thirty-two urease tests were positive after 1 h, all in patients with C. pylori detected by the two other methods (specificity, 100%; sensitivity, 67%). After 24 h, 47 urease tests were positive, but only 40 had C. pylori present (specificity, 74%; sensitivity, 83%). When read after 1 h, the urease test was highly specific and led to rapid presumptive diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Marshall University School of Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Huntington, West Virginia 25701-5490.
authors.forename: T U
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Westblom
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Subik
mesh_terms: D002167:Campylobacter / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014510:Urease / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014510:Urease