[Serodiagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection]

Infection with Helicobacter pylori induces antibodies, but these are not able to eradicate the bacterium from the gastric mucosa. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay is the laboratory based method and most commonly used to measure qualitatively and quantitatively anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies of different immunoglobulin classes in almost all infected patients. Quantitative serological tests are useful in the follow-up of eradication therapy. Serology is the method of choice in population studies and in the retrospective analysis of stored serum samples to study the natural course of this chronic infection.