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| How to test for Helicobacter pylori in 20057 |
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Nimish Vakil, MD and A. Mark Fendrick, MD
“Testing for H. pylori infection in primary care settings should be limited to noninvasive testing methods. Testing for active infection with the stool antigen test or the urea breath test is recommended for patients with suspected infection, both for initial detection of the organism and for retesting after therapy to confirm eradication. These two active tests are virtually identical in accuracy, so the choice between them should take into account other factors, such as cost, availability, and patient and physician preference. Because it cannot distinguish between current and past infection, serologic testing has poor accuracy in settings of low and intermediate H. pylori prevalence and should no longer be used in the United States.” |
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