Role of ELISA in Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori

Over the last 30 years Helicobacter pylori has proved to be of overwhelming importance in the etiology of a number of common gastroduodenal diseases, like chronic gastritis, peptic ulceration and gastric cancer(1). This study was undertaken to see the association of Helicobacter pylori in cases of Peptic ulcer disease and to study the diagnostic yield of various standard conventional methods and serological test for Helicobacter pylori.

150 patients with clinical suspicion of dyspepsia and 30 healthy controls were recruited over a year. Antrum biopsy pieces were taken for Rapid urease test and Gram stain. Blood sample were taken and serum was separated for detection and estimation of H. pylori IgG antibodies through ELISA.

Majority of the cases were presented with chronic superficial gastritis (42%) followed by duodenal ulcer (37.33%) and Non ulcer dyspepsia was seen in 67% patients of dyspepsia. H. pylori were detected in 74.0% of study group and 3.33% control by one or more methods used for diagnosis. Highest number of positive case (74%) were detected by ELISA, followed by RUT (52%) and direct microscopy (18%) whereas in control group it was 0% by direct microscopy and 3.33% (1 case) each by RUT and ELISA. Invasive cases (119) like DU and CSG were ELISA positive (79%) with a high titer (> 100RU/ml).

IgG ELISA provides a useful non-invasive serodiagnostic test for H. pylori and may be useful as part of a screening programme to reduce endoscopy workload especially in patients with symptoms of Dyspepsia.