Urea Breath Test

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria which lives only in the lining of the stomach and is one of the most common chronic infections in humans. The importance of H. pylori was unrecognized until 1982, when an Australian physician, Dr. Barry Marshall, discovered that the germ was almost always present in patients with gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) and ulcers. Doctors now believe that H. pylori is associated with most stomach ulcers and almost all duodenal ulcers. H. pylori causes inflammation of the stomach lining and weakens the natural protection against stomach acid, which may then cause an ulcer. If stomach acid is reduced with medication, an ulcer may heal, but it tends to come back once the medication is stopped. However, if H.pylori is treated successfully with antibiotics, an ulcer can be permanently cured. This means that ulcer medications may no longer be needed.

H. pylori does not always cause ulcers to form but almost always produces inflammation of the stomach lining. Some people with H. pylori infection do not have any symptoms, but many report nausea, gas, bloating, and burning stomach pain. These symptoms occur twice as often in people with H. pylori compared to those who are not infected. Doctors believe that H.pylori may be responsible for many of these symptoms.

There are several very accurate ways to determine the presence of H. pylori:

1. Blood tests can be used to determine the presence of antibodies to the bacteria. These tests tell if a person has ever had the infection but do not tell if the infection is active.
2. A biopsy of the stomach can be used to determine the presence of H. pylori. A biopsy is obtained during an examination of the stomach with a flexible scope. The biopsy is examined by a pathologist under a microscope to look for the presence of H. pylori, or more easily by the CLOtestTM. This slide test checks for the presence of an enzyme (urease) produced by H. pylori. A simple color change in the CLOtestTM confirms that H. pylori is active in the stomach.
3. The Urea Breath Test (UBT) is the only diagnostic test that can determine the presence of H. pylori without the use of a scope. It is safe, accurate, easy to perform, and much less expensive than a scope and biopsy for diagnosis.

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