New Tests for H. Pylori

Two new blood tests may make it easier to diagnose H. pylori, especially in developing countries where stomach infections are common.

Scientists say that the tests, called the 'immunoblot' test and the 'ICT' (immunochromatographic) test. A stomach infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can cause indigestion (dyspepsia) and, in serious cases, can lead to stomach ulcers. This infection, however, can be cured by antibiotics.

Other blood tests in the past that detect the bacteria's antibodies have been used, but researchers said they can cause problems because the tests can only say that a patient has had the infection at some point, not that they have it now. Researchers say they have found a way to overcome this problem by testing for a certain protein. The protein, called current infection marker or CIM, has been made using DNA technology and said to be a reliable marker of a current infection with H. pylori bacteria.

The researchers studied the accuracy of two tests for the protein in 61 patients infected with Helicobacter pylori and 21 free from the infection in Bangladesh, where Helicobacter pylori and stomach ulcers are common. The results revealed that immunoblot was the most accurate test, identifying 94% of current infections.

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