Diagnosis of H-pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is an important cause of many gastrointestinal disorders, ranging from chronic gastritis to gastric lymphoma and adenocarcinoma. It is most widely known as the cause of duodenal and gastric ulcers. Infection with this organism should therefore be high in the differential diagnosis of patients with upper gastrointestinal problems. Treatment with short courses of antibiotics eradicates the infection in the majority of cases. Since confirmation of the organism's role in gastric ulcer disease, new methods for detecting H pylori have become available. In this article, the investigator reviews the pros and cons of each method of detection and suggests where each is most useful.