SEROLOGICAL TESTS FOR MONITORING HELICOBACTER-PYLORI ERADICATION TREATMENT

Serological tests for the detection of Helicobacter pylori-specific an tibodies are useful in epidemiological studies, as a pre-endoscopic sc reening procedure, and as therapeutic follow-up. For the latter applic ation, they represent an alternative to invasive and expensive diagnos tic methods such as endoscopy and breath test, respectively. However, serological tests are suitable only for long-term treatment monitoring in adults, As the significant reduction of specific antibodies, and n ot seronegativity by itself, is regarded as a criterion of therapeutic success, it is always necessary to establish the antibody kinetics. E nzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based tests are best suited f or this. The most relevant antibody class to be detected is H. pylori- specific IgG. The main indication for employing serology is the therap eutic follow-up of patients who, on the whole, are free of complaints.