title: Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori: invasive and non-invasive tests.
abstract: Helicobacter pylori infection can be diagnosed by invasive techniques requiring endoscopy and biopsy (e.g. histological examination, culture and rapid urease test) and by non-invasive techniques, such as serology, the urea breath test, urine/blood or detection of H. pylori antigen in stool specimen. Some non-invasive tests, such as the urea breath test and the stool antigen test, detect active infection: these are called 'active tests'. Non-invasive tests (e.g. serology, urine, near-patient tests) are markers of exposure to H. pylori but do not indicate if active infection is ongoing; these are 'passive tests'. Non-invasive test-and-treat strategies are widely recommended in the primary care setting. The choice of appropriate test depends on the pre-test probability of infection, the characteristics of the test being used and its cost-effectiveness.
authors: Gastroenterology Unit, University of Brescia, Italy.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Ricci
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Holton
authors: Dino
authors: D
authors: Vaira
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D001944:Breath Tests; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease