Preferred Sample Type
Suitable Specimen Types
- Faeces
Specimen Transport
Samples must arrive in the laboratory within 48 hours of collectionTurnaround Time
6 daysH.pylori Stool Antigen
General Information
This test is used to diagnose infection due to Helicobacter pylori.
A positive H. pylori test indicates that your gastrointestinal pain may be due to a peptic ulcer caused by this bacteria. Antibiotic treatment will erradicate the H.pylori infection and the associated symptoms will be alleviated.
The H.pylori Stool antigen is reliable both in the diagnostic and post eradication settings provided the patient has avoided PPI’s for 2 weeks and antibiotics for 4 weeks prior to sample collection as they may interfere with this assay.
The Urea breath test was always the gold standard but a lack of standardisation and quality control means it is not always a reliable test.
Reference Management of Helicobacter pylori infection the Maastricht IV/ Florence Consensus Report. Peter Malfertheiner et al. The European Helicobacter Study Group (EHSG)
Patient Preparation
Samples must arrive in the laboratory within 48 hours of collection. Patients should be advised to bring the stool sample to the GP surgery or laboratory reception as soon as possible after collection, ideally same or next day.
Please note 2-3g/5ml must be provided otherwise the sample will be rejected. Any unlabelled, mismatched, leaking or incorrect sample will be rejected.
Reference Range
Qualitative test.
Specifications
- EQA Scheme?: Yes