Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test in comparison with conventional methods in detection of helicobacter pylori infection in dyspepsia patients

Background: Helicobacter pylori colonize the human stomach and is associated with gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric adenocarcinoma and mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Owing to its momentous pathogenic role, the diagnosis of H pylori infection remains a subject of interest. Helicobacter can be detected by invasive and non invasive methods. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of stool antigen test as a non invasive method for the diagnosis of H pylori infection. Materials and Method: A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary medical college hospital. Patients presenting with dyspeptic symptoms were subjected to endoscopy and investigated for H pylori infection through rapid urease test, histopathology and culture. Stool samples were also collected from these patients and tested for H pylori infection by a rapid Hpylori Stool Antigen test. H pylori status was defined as positive when both rapid urease test (RUT) and histopathology were positive or culture alone was positive for biopsy based invasive methods. Similarly a positive rapid HpSA test also indicates H pylori infection. Results: Of the 100 patients tested, 63 were H pylori infected by the endoscopy based invasive methods, and 54 by the non-invasive rapid HpSA test. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of H pylori stool antigen test were 85.7%, 88% and 91% respectively. Conclusion: The rapid HpSA test could be used as a noninvasive diagnostictest for H pylori infection.