title: Salivary immunoglobulin G assay to diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection in children.
abstract: An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measurement of Helicobacter pylori-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA in saliva was evaluated by comparison with histopathologic (Giemsa staining) and biochemical (urease quick test) examination of gastric biopsy specimens obtained from 112 children referred for diagnostic gastroscopy. Serum H. pylori IgG was also measured in a subgroup of 50 children by the same ELISA. Salivary H. pylori IgG levels were significantly higher in H. pylori-positive (n = 57) than in H. pylori-negative (n = 55) children (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the salivary IgG test were 93 and 82%, respectively; the positive and negative predictive values were 84 and 92%, respectively; and the accuracy was 87.5%. Salivary H. pylori IgA did not distinguish H. pylori-positive from H. pylori-negative children. The performance of serum H. pylori IgG was slightly (3 to 6%) better than that of salivary H. pylori IgG. The salivary IgG test can be considered a useful tool for the screening of H. pylori infection in children.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università di R. Calabria, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luzza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oderda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maletta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imeneo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mesuraca
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chioboli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lerro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guandalini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pallone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G