[Antigen detection in stools as a first choice for laboratory diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori disease]

Several techniques have been suggested for Helicobacter pylori infection diagnosis, invasive (histology) and not invasive (Urea Breath Test C13, or serological assays). An enzyme immunoassay able to detect Helicobacter pylori antigen directly in stool specimens was recently developed. A study was carried out in order to evaluate the sensibility and the specificity of this test comparing it with the Urea Breath Test C13 and histology. The patients studied are all in pediatric age, and great are the advantages of a non-invasive method to detect infection.

In this study 60 patients were enrolled. In 34 of them Helicobacter pylori infection was diagnosed by Urea Breath Test C13, all confirmed by histology. In all the 60 patients studied the fecal antigen was researched by an immunoenzymatic method (Premier Platinum HpSA, Meridian Diag.).

The detection of Helicobacter pylori in stool shows a sensibility of 100% and a specificity of 97%.

Sensibility and specificity, considering also the low cost of the examination, the short time to perform it and the very easy technique, allows us to propose the test as the first choice in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori disease.