Diagnosis of Campylobacter pylori gastritis

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences 1991, Vol.36 (1), p.1-4
• Main Authors: MERTZ, H, LAFRANCE, N, KAFONEK, D, YARDLEY, J, HENDRIX, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen; Biological and medical sciences; Breath Tests; Campylobacter Infections - diagnosis; Duodenoscopy; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Gastritis - diagnosis; Gastritis - etiology; Gastroscopy; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Predictive Value of Tests
• ISSN: 0163-2116; 1573-2568
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01300077

Campylobacter pylori is a bacterium that inhabits gastric mucosa. It causes chronic active gastritis and is highly associated with duodenal ulcer. Campylobacter pylori has a urease enzyme (not present in man), which allows diagnosis by a [14C]urea breath test. We compared two noninvasive tests, the breath test and serum ELISA, to biopsy and histologic diagnosis. Twenty-two patients who underwent gastroduodenoscopy for evaluation of possible peptic ulcer disease entered the study. The breath test detected the organism in eight of eight patients biopsy-positive for the organism (sensitivity 100%). The breath test was negative in 12 of the 14 patients who were biopsy-negative (specificity 86%). The ELISA was performed in 14 patients. It was positive in 5 of 5 patients biopsy-positive for the organism (sensitivity 100%) and negative in 7 of 9 patients who were biopsy-negative (specificity 78%). We conclude that both the ELISA and the [14C]urea breath test are excellent noninvasive methods to detect Campylobacter pylori. However, only the breath test is suitable for following the response to treatment, as it detects the presence of the organism rather than an immune response to it.