Helicobacter pylori Tests

Gastric Ulcer Test, H. pylori Test, Peptic Ulcer Test, Stomach Ulcer Test, Stool Antigen Test, Urea Breath Test

What To Think About

• The radioactive urea breath test for H. pylori is not usually done during pregnancy or while you are breast-feeding, because the radiation could harm your child.
• The stool antigen test is the least expensive of the four tests for Helicobacter pylori, but it may not be as accurate as the other tests. The stomach biopsy is very accurate, but it is the most expensive and most risky of the four tests.
• A negative stool antigen test does not always mean that an H. pylori infection is not present (false-negative).
• Although many people are infected with H. pylori bacteria, only a few of them will develop peptic ulcer disease. For this reason, other factors (such as a person's symptoms) should be considered when interpreting the results of an H. pylori test.
• Blood tests for H. pylori may be positive for several years after the infection, so the urea breath test, the stool antigen test, or a biopsy may be used to determine if treatment has been effective.
• If your symptoms don't go away, an endoscopy may be needed. For more information, see the medical test Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
• Having an infection with H. pylori increases your chances of having cancer of the stomach. But the risk is very low.

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Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: January 6, 2010
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
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