Abstract
A number of diagnostic tests have been developed and are currently in use for detection of H. pylori infection. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate and correlate various tests used for detection of H. pylori infection such as specific anti-IgG test and other biopsy dependent procedures. From every patient four antral biopsies were taken and subjected to direct urease test, second to culture, third to direct immunofluorescent antibody staining (DFA), and fourth to histological histopathological examination.Sera from each patients were estimated for specific IgG against H. pylori. Histopathology, rapid urease test, culture and direct fluorescent antibody staining (DFA) had H. pylori detection range of 90%, 70%, 56.7% and 63.3% respectively, while IgG test against H. pylori was positive with 83.3% efficiency. Sensitivity and specificity of various laboratory tests compared to histopathology exhibited values of 70.4%, 33.3% for direct urease test, 59.3%, 66.7% for culture, 66.7%, 66.7% for DFA and 88.9%, 66.7% for H. pylori IgG. Similarly, sensitivity and specificity of various laboratory tests to culture showed results of 88.2%, 53.8% for direct urease test, 94.1%, and 76.9% for DFA, 82.4%, 15.4% for H. pylori IgG and 94.1%, 15.4% for histopathology test. Histopathology is a rapid, sensitive and easy method for rapid detection of H. pylori and although culture based method is expensive and time consuming; it still remains a viable method for diagnosis of H. pylori infection.