Helicobacter Pylori - IgG

These tests are looking for evidence of an infection in your gastrointestinal tract by a bacterium, known as Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium is known to be a major cause of peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori is also associated with the development of gastric (stomach) cancer.

How is the sample collected for testing?

The sample collected depends on the test your doctor requests. It may be as simple as submitting a stool sample to look for the H-pylori antigen or a blood sample taken from your vein to detect antibody to the bacteria (tests if someone has had an infection).

A more invasive test will require a procedure called an endoscopy, which means putting a tube down the throat into the stomach to take a small piece of tissue (a biopsy) from the stomach lining. A biopsy can be used to detect other reasons for stomach pain, as well as be tested in the laboratory for H-pylori. H-pylori produces urease, a special enzyme that allows it to survive in the acidic environment of the stomach. The lab can detect the presence of this bacterium by looking for this enzyme in the tissue sample. The tissue may also be examined under a microscope by a pathologist, who will look for these bacteria or any other signs of disease that may explain your symptoms.

Sometimes a 13C-urea breath test can be used instead of a biopsy. This test is to diagnose active infection and to check for the successful eradication of H. pylori in patients with a peptic ulcer. In this case, the test may be performed at least one month after completion of treatment.

You will be asked to drink a drink containing a naturally occurring substance called urea. This urea contains a form of carbon, known as 13C. If H-pylori is present in your stomach, the urea will be broken down leading to an increase in 13C in the carbon dioxide you breathe out. By testing the expelled air collected from your breath sample, we can determine if H. Pylori is present in your body. The test is completely safe and does not involve the use of radiation.

Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?

No special preparation is needed for the blood test.

For the urea breath test you must have nothing to eat or drink except a glass of water and your medication on the day of the test. Smoking is also not advised on the day of the test. Please follow any instructions you are given and inform you healthcare professional of any medications you are taking, as some medications will interfere with the test results, and the test may need to be rearranged.

Iif submitting a stool or having a biopsy you may be instructed to refrain from certain medications.

If undergoing endoscopy, you may be instructed to fast after midnight the night prior to the procedure.