Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1995 Nov;48(11):990–993. doi: 10.1136/jcp.48.11.990

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection by specific gastric mucosal IgA and IgG pylori antibodies.

R A Veenendaal 1, J M Götz 1, V Schroijen 1, F Kurban 1, A T Bernards 1, M Veselic 1, A S Peña 1, C B Lamers 1
PMCID: PMC502999  PMID: 8543643

Abstract

AIMS--To investigate the diagnostic value of mucosal IgA and IgG Helicobacter pylori antibodies. METHODS--The study population comprised 209 consecutive patients with severe dyspeptic complaints referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A positive culture or histological identification of H pylori in gastric biopsy specimens, or both, were used to confirm infection. Specific IgA and IgG H pylori antibodies were determined using a modified ELISA technique. RESULTS--Of the 209 patients, 137 were infected with H pylori. The diagnostic value of systemic IgA and IgG H pylori antibodies was confirmed. Systemic IgA antibodies had a sensitivity of 76.6% (95% confidence interval 69.5-83.7) and a specificity of 94.4% (89.1-99.7). The sensitivity and specificity for systemic IgG antibodies were, respectively, 97.1% (94.3-99.9) and 98.6% (95.9-100). A moderate but clinically important correlation was found between local and systemic IgA and IgG. Mucosal IgA H pylori antibodies had a sensitivity of 98.5% (96.5-100) and a specificity of 91.7% (85.3-98.1), while for IgG these figures were, respectively, 88.3% (82.9-93.7) and 98.6% (95.9-100). As a diagnostic test mucosal IgA H pylori antibodies were comparable with culture and histology. CONCLUSION--Determination of local IgA and IgG H pylori antibody levels is a highly sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of H pylori infection.

Full text

PDF
990

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Axon A. R. Duodenal ulcer: the villain unmasked? BMJ. 1991 Apr 20;302(6782):919–921. doi: 10.1136/bmj.302.6782.919. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berstad K., Berstad A. Helicobacter pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1993 Jul;28(7):561–567. doi: 10.3109/00365529309096088. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Blaser M. J. Helicobacter pylori and the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal inflammation. J Infect Dis. 1990 Apr;161(4):626–633. doi: 10.1093/infdis/161.4.626. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Christensen A. H., Gjørup T., Hilden J., Fenger C., Henriksen B., Vyberg M., Ostergaard K., Hansen B. F. Observer homogeneity in the histologic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori. Latent class analysis, kappa coefficient, and repeat frequency. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1992 Nov;27(11):933–939. doi: 10.3109/00365529209000166. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dooley C. P., Cohen H., Fitzgibbons P. L., Bauer M., Appleman M. D., Perez-Perez G. I., Blaser M. J. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and histologic gastritis in asymptomatic persons. N Engl J Med. 1989 Dec 7;321(23):1562–1566. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198912073212302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Evans D. J., Jr, Evans D. G., Graham D. Y., Klein P. D. A sensitive and specific serologic test for detection of Campylobacter pylori infection. Gastroenterology. 1989 Apr;96(4):1004–1008. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(89)91616-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Forman D., Newell D. G., Fullerton F., Yarnell J. W., Stacey A. R., Wald N., Sitas F. Association between infection with Helicobacter pylori and risk of gastric cancer: evidence from a prospective investigation. BMJ. 1991 Jun 1;302(6788):1302–1305. doi: 10.1136/bmj.302.6788.1302. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Genta R. M., Hamner H. W., Graham D. Y. Gastric lymphoid follicles in Helicobacter pylori infection: frequency, distribution, and response to triple therapy. Hum Pathol. 1993 Jun;24(6):577–583. doi: 10.1016/0046-8177(93)90235-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Graham D. Y., Klein P. D., Evans D. J., Jr, Evans D. G., Alpert L. C., Opekun A. R., Boutton T. W. Campylobacter pylori detected noninvasively by the 13C-urea breath test. Lancet. 1987 May 23;1(8543):1174–1177. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)92145-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Graham D. Y., Lew G. M., Klein P. D., Evans D. G., Evans D. J., Jr, Saeed Z. A., Malaty H. M. Effect of treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection on the long-term recurrence of gastric or duodenal ulcer. A randomized, controlled study. Ann Intern Med. 1992 May 1;116(9):705–708. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-116-9-705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Graham D. Y. Treatment of peptic ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. N Engl J Med. 1993 Feb 4;328(5):349–350. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199302043280512. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kosunen T. U., Seppälä K., Sarna S., Sipponen P. Diagnostic value of decreasing IgG, IgA, and IgM antibody titres after eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Lancet. 1992 Apr 11;339(8798):893–895. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)90929-w. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kuipers E. J., Peña A. S., van Kamp G., Uyterlinde A. M., Pals G., Pels N. F., Kurz-Pohlmann E., Meuwissen S. G. Seroconversion for Helicobacter pylori. Lancet. 1993 Aug 7;342(8867):328–331. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(93)91473-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Marshall B. J., Surveyor I. Carbon-14 urea breath test for the diagnosis of Campylobacter pylori associated gastritis. J Nucl Med. 1988 Jan;29(1):11–16. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Oderda G., Vaira D., Ainley C., Holton J., Osborn J., Altare F., Ansaldi N. Eighteen month follow up of Helicobacter pylori positive children treated with amoxycillin and tinidazole. Gut. 1992 Oct;33(10):1328–1330. doi: 10.1136/gut.33.10.1328. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Parsonnet J., Friedman G. D., Vandersteen D. P., Chang Y., Vogelman J. H., Orentreich N., Sibley R. K. Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of gastric carcinoma. N Engl J Med. 1991 Oct 17;325(16):1127–1131. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199110173251603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Perez-Perez G. I., Dworkin B. M., Chodos J. E., Blaser M. J. Campylobacter pylori antibodies in humans. Ann Intern Med. 1988 Jul 1;109(1):11–17. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-109-1-11. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Peña A. S., Endtz H. P., Offerhaus G. J., Hoogenboom-Verdegaal A., van Duijn W., de Vargas N., den Hartog G., Kreuning J., van der Reyden J., Mouton R. P. Value of serology (ELISA and immunoblotting) for the diagnosis of Campylobacter pylori infection. Digestion. 1989;44(3):131–141. doi: 10.1159/000199902. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Rathbone B. J., Wyatt J. I., Worsley B. W., Shires S. E., Trejdosiewicz L. K., Heatley R. V., Losowsky M. S. Systemic and local antibody responses to gastric Campylobacter pyloridis in non-ulcer dyspepsia. Gut. 1986 Jun;27(6):642–647. doi: 10.1136/gut.27.6.642. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sierra R., Muñoz N., Peña A. S., Biemond I., van Duijn W., Lamers C. B., Teuchmann S., Hernandez S., Correa P. Antibodies to Helicobacter pylori and pepsinogen levels in children from Costa Rica: comparison of two areas with different risks for stomach cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 1992 Sep-Oct;1(6):449–454. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Stolte M., Eidt S. Lymphoid follicles in antral mucosa: immune response to Campylobacter pylori? J Clin Pathol. 1989 Dec;42(12):1269–1271. doi: 10.1136/jcp.42.12.1269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Unidentified curved bacilli on gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;1(8336):1273–1275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Unidentified curved bacilli on gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. Lancet. 1983 Jun 4;1(8336):1273–1275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Veenendaal R. A., Lichtendahl-Bernards A. T., Peña A. S., Endtz H. P., van Boven C. P., Lamers C. B. Effect of transport medium and transportation time on culture of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsy specimens. J Clin Pathol. 1993 Jun;46(6):561–563. doi: 10.1136/jcp.46.6.561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Veenendaal R. A., Peña A. S., Meijer J. L., Endtz H. P., van der Est M. M., van Duijn W., Eulderink F., Kreuning J., Lamers C. B. Long term serological surveillance after treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Gut. 1991 Nov;32(11):1291–1294. doi: 10.1136/gut.32.11.1291. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wyatt J. I., Rathbone B. J. Immune response of the gastric mucosa to Campylobacter pylori. Scand J Gastroenterol Suppl. 1988;142:44–49. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES