title: Evaluation of Invasive and Noninvasive Methods for the Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori Infection
abstract: Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate invasive and noninvasive diagnostic methods for detection
  of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in patients admitted with dyspeptic complaints and to compare sensitivities and
  specificities. Method: Sets of four gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from a total of 126 patients included in the
  study. The presence of H. pylori was determined by invasive tests including culture, rapid urease test, polymerase chain
  reaction (PCR) and histopathology. Among noninvasive tests, urea breath test, serological tests and enzyme-linked
  immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed. Results: H. pylori was isolated in 79 (62.7%) gastric biopsy cultures,
  whereas positivity was concluded for 105 (83.3%) patients by rapid urease test, for 106 (84.1%) by PCR, for 110
  (87.3%) by histopathology, for 119 (94.4%) by urea breath test, and for 107 (84.9%) by ELISA. In the present study,
  the culture findings and histopathological examination findings were accepted as gold standard. According to the gold
  standard, urea breath test had the highest sensitivity (96.5%) and the lowest specificity (30%), whereas culture and
  histopathology had the highest specificities (100%). Conclusion: The use of PCR invasively with gastric biopsy samples
  yielded parallel results with the gold standard. PCR can be recommended for routine use in the diagnosis of H. pylori.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Institute of Turkey microbiology reference laboratories department. Email: yasemincosgun2006@yahoo.com.tr
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cosgun
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Mihriban
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yucel
authors.forename: Ayse Esra
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Karakoc
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koca
authors.forename: Alpaslan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonultas
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gursoy
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ustun
authors.forename: Meliha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; diagnostic tests; polymerase chain reaction