Annals of Clinical Microbiology, The official Journal of the Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology

6

Weeks in Review

4

Weeks to Publication
Indexed in KCI, KoreaMed, Synapse, DOAJ
Open Access, Peer Reviewed
pISSN 2288-0585 eISSN 2288-6850
Original article

Comparison of Different Methods for the Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection:Histology, CLO test, Culture, Serologic test and PCR

Mi Ae Lee, M.D. and Jung Won Huh, M.D.

Department of Clinical Pathology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea

Corresponding to Mi Ae Lee

Ann Clin Microbiol 1998;1(1):44-50.
Copyright © Korean Society of Clinical Microbiology.

Abstract

Backgrounds: Helicobacter pylori infection is now recognized as a cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric carcinoma and lymphoma. Several diagnostic methods of H. pylori infection, such as histopathology, culture, rapid urease test, urea breath test, serologic test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have been used. This study aimed to compare different diagnostic methods of H. pylori infection and determined the appropriate cut-off value of IgG anti-H. pylori antibody using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Methods: We compared sensitivities, specificities and efficiencies of histology, CLO test, culture, IgG anti-H. pylori Ab and PCR using the ureC gene in gastric biopsy specimens from 112 H. pylori patients and 140 control group.

Results: The sensitivities of histology, CLO test, culture, IgG anti-H. pylori Ab and PCR were 72%, 91%, 86%, 82% and 94%, respectively and the specificities of histology, CLO test, culture, IgG anti-H. pylori Ab and PCR were 96%, 99%, 100%, 73% and 99%, respectively. The efficiencies of histology, CLO test, culture, IgG anti-H. pylori Ab and PCR were 88%, 96%, 89%, 77% and 97%, respectively. From the ROC curve, the cut-off value of the anti-H. pylori Ab determined 10U/mL in which sensitivity was 82% and specificity was 82%.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the PCR assay in gastric biopsy is the most sensitive and efficient diagnostic method of H. pylori infection and the cut-off value of the anti-H. pylori Ab determines 10U/mL showing highest efficiency. (Korean J Clin Microbiol 1998;1(1):44-50)

Keywords

Helicobacter pylori, PCR, anti-H. pylori, ROC curve