New immunoassay in stool provides an accurate noninvasive diagnostic method for Helicobacter pylori screening in children

Objective. The noninvasive C-13-urea breath test (UBT) is a reliable diagnostic method for detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in children, and it avoids invasive gastrointestinal endoscopy. In this study, we compared a noninvasive, newly developed fecal H pylori antigen test with the UBT. Methodology. One hundred sixty-two children (76 girls and 86 boys) were tested for H pylori infection using the UBT and a new antigen test in stool samples. The H pylori stool test is based on a sandwich enzyme immunoassay with antigen detection. Results. Twenty-four of the children (14.8%) with dyspepsia tested positive for H pylori according to the breath test results. In 22 of the 24 patients, H pylori antigen could be detected in the stool (sensitivity: 91.6%). Of 138 patients with negative UBT results, 136 were H pylori-negative in the stool test (specificity: 98.6%). Conclusions. The new, noninvasive, low-cost H pylori antigen test in stool can replace the UBT for detection of H pylori infection in children with comparable reliability and accuracy.