title: Stool antigen tests for the detection of Helicobacter pylori in children.
abstract: Stool specimens from 102 children (median age = 6.0 years; Helicobacter pylori in biopsy specimens, n = 43) were tested for H. pylori with the monoclonal antibody-based enzyme immunoassay HpStar. In 28 cases, the specimen was obtained with a rectal cotton swab during endoscopy. The sensitivity and specificity of the HpStar were 0.95 and 0.90, respectively, as compared with biopsy-based methods. The rectal cotton swab specimen gave accurate results in 24 of the 28 cases. Storage of specimens for 1, 3, or 7 days (n = 6) had a minor effect on the results, but one specimen's originally positive value on borderline turned negative when it was kept in room temperature. Forty-eight specimens were tested in parallel with all 3 tests used: HpStar, Premium Platinum HpSA, and the rapid test ImmunoCardSTAT! The accuracy rates of the tests were 98% for the HpSA and HpStar and 96% for the ImmunoCardSTAT! The performance of the stool antigen tests was excellent in young children.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Box 281, FIN-00029 Helsinki, Finland. kaija-leena.kolho@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Kaija-Leena
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kolho
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Klemola
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koivusalo
authors.forename: Hilpi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rautelin
mesh_terms: D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic