Oral fluid antibody detection in the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori inflection

The aim of this study was to revaluate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-Helicobacter pylori specific IgG antibod ies in specimens of oral fluid. Antral biopsy specimens, serum and oral flu id samples were collected from 81 patients attending for upper gastrointest inal endoscopy. The presence or absence of current H, pylori infection was determined by culture, histology and urease detection. Anti-H, pylori speci fic IgG was detected in serum by an established in-house ELISA and in oral fluid by an ELISA developed for this study. In all, 34 (42%) of 81 patients were positive for H, pylori by one or more of the 'gold standard' tests (c ulture, histology and urease detection). The oral fluid ELISA had a sensiti vity of 94% and specificity of 85% with regard to current H, pylori infecti on. The serum ELISA had a sensitivity and specificity of 91%, There was an overall agreement of 88% between serum and oral fluid antibody detection. T he detection of anti-H, pylori specific IgG in oral fluid by ELISA is compa rable in sensitivity and specificity with serum-based methods. Oral fluid-b ased ELISA could provide a reliable, non-invasive method for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, and may be of particular benefit for population sur veys.