title: Serological detection of Helicobacter pylori antibodies in children and their parents.
abstract: The antibody response to Helicobacter pylori was examined in 56 children (ages 5 to 18) to determine whether serological tests can be used for diagnosis. Twenty-four children (43%) were H. pylori positive and 32 children (57%) were H. pylori negative by culture and histological examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens. The immune response was also examined in 39 nonendoscoped parents of the children. H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies were detected by the flow microsphere immunofluorescent assay (FMIA). IgG was also detected by using the Pyloristat enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the FMIA for IgG were 100, 97, 96, and 100%, respectively. The respective values for the Pyloristat ELISA for IgG were 96, 94, 92, and 97%. The respective values for the FMIA for IgA were 50, 100, 100, and 73%. Both assays identified the same 19 parents as IgG positive, while FMIA identified 17 of the 19 parents as IgA positive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Veldhuyzen van Zanten
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bezanson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D010290:Parents; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G