Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori Infection among Adults undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Aim :To determine the prevalence of H.pylori infection in adults undergoing oesphagogastrodudenoscopy by two different methods, serology (ELISA technique) comparing it with histopathology. Material and Methods: Forty patients attending surgery OPD of a tertiary care hospital for GI endoscopy were involved in this study. Their biopsies and sera were sent to Histopathology and Microbiology department respectively for detection of Helicobacter pylori. Results: H. pylori Ab(IgG) was detected in the sera of 25(63%) patients by ELISA,15 (37.50%) of them showed H.pylori in their biopsies also by Giemsa stain. Most patients with detectable antibodies to H.pylori were those with chronic gastritis; however patients complaining from reflux oesophagitis showed significant absentee of this Ab. Conclusion: In view of the better results obtained for invasive vs non-invasive test, for a more accurate diagnosis, it is advisable not to solely rely on non-invasive methods of Helicobacter pylori diagnosis.