[Serologic detection of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori in children and adolescents using ELISA]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Helicobacter pylori (H.p.) infection is a common cause of upper gastrointestinal issues.
• Accurate detection is crucial for effective treatment and management in pediatric populations.
• Non-invasive diagnostic methods are highly desirable for children and adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of serum IgG antibodies against H.p. as a diagnostic marker in non-ulcer dyspeptic children and adolescents.
• To compare the performance of an ELISA test for H.p. antibodies with direct microbiological detection methods.
• To establish a reliable non-invasive method for primary H.p. infection screening.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples from 183 non-ulcer dyspeptic children and adolescents (aged 7-20 years) were analyzed for H.p. specific IgG antibodies using ELISA.
• A subset of 108 patients underwent fibroendoscopy with microbiological analysis of gastric and duodenal biopsies.
• The P/N ratio was used to evaluate antibody levels, comparing patient serum absorbance to negative controls.

Main Results:

• A significant positive correlation (P < 0.01) was observed between serum antibody detection and direct microbiological H.p. identification.
• The ELISA test demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy with 96.1% specificity and 90.3% sensitivity for H.p. IgG antibodies.
• The non-invasive ELISA method showed comparable results to invasive microbiological testing.

Conclusions:

• Serum IgG antibody detection against H.p. is a highly sensitive and specific non-invasive method for diagnosing H.p. infection in pediatric patients.
• This ELISA-based approach is a valuable tool for the primary screening and detection of H.p. in children and adolescents.
• The findings support the use of serological testing as a comparable alternative to invasive procedures for H.p. diagnosis in this age group.