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Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 2:45 am
by Health Inquirer
Dear Helico Expert,

I just dropped off my stool sample to see if the treatment worked for my h pylori infection. The stool sample was in about 80 degrees fahrenheit, possibly a little bit warmer, for 1 hr 30 min before it got put in the fridge at the lab. Do you think that was too much time out in the environment? I am afraid the h pylori might have died by then. Do you think it died by then? My concern is it might have died and now if the test states negative it might not really be negative. But it might only say negative because the sample was at 80 degrees fahrenheit for 1 hr 30 min.

What are your thoughts on this?

Also, what test do you think is best the breath test or the stool test?

Thank you very much for your time.

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 12:02 pm
by Helico_expert
Both test are very accurate, according to literature. However, the technician who process the sample varies and may affect the accuracy.

the stool test, is base on the amount of bacteria. it doesnt care if the bacteria is alive. dead bacteria will still react with the reagent.

since stool test (and breath test) is relying on the amount of bacteria, it is important to avoid antibiotics or acid reducing agents that may potentially reduce the bacteria load.

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 1:29 pm
by Health Inquirer
Dear Helico Expert,

As always, you are very informative and helpful. You are always very kind and fast to reply. :D

I deeply appreciate all of your effort and time into assisting me and others. You are wonderful!!!!!!!!!
I wish you all the best.

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 11:47 am
by sunshine37
Dear Helico_Expert:

Thank you for responding to my other postings. Here, the information has been so helpful and I am grateful, as well, for your assistance. I thought that you were a doctor, owing to your expertise. :)

I have a question regarding the below quote that I hope you can explain further.
Helico_expert wrote:...

antigen comes from bacteria. it may not necessary means the bacteria is viable.
I am wondering how the stool antigen test can be used as a diagnostic tool if the bacteria may not be viable. Would this issue of viability have something to do with the stool having to be returned to the lab within 24 hours? (This is the rule at the lab in my doctor's office). (This looks like it may have been answered above, which I have just noticed). I am curious to know a bit more about this issue, as it seems that the breath test may be a more accurate test to use to show an active infection. Is this true? I appreciate your answering so many of my questions. I feel so much more calm about this whole process, owing to the forum provided here and the guidance offered. :)

Also, I am curious about the histology. What does that entail? If it is possible to write something about that here.
Helico_expert wrote:...

we do or have access to histology, urea breath test, biopsy testing, stool antigen test, PCR gene testing, growing bacteria and blood test.
You had commented on Clositridium difficile above, noting that it can be due to hygiene. I had read that it can happen as a side effect to Biaxin/antibiotics, but can depend on other factors such as diet, the immune system, probably the flora of the colon, etc. My niece has a friend whose infant was diagnosed with C. Diff. after having been treated with heavy antibiotics for what they thought was a staff infection (spot on the infant's leg). It turned out that the spot did not go away, as it was not a staff infection, after all. However, the infant probably contracted C. Diff., because of the treatment. Now, it has colonized her colon, but is not an active infection. The doctor says that she cannot cure it. I am not sure whether this is true. The little girl has the symptoms still, however. :(

Thank you again for your assistance. It has been so helpful!

Best wishes,

Sunshine

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:14 pm
by sunshine37
Dear Helico_expert:

I just saw an article that was posted by Barjammer in 2010, docs/200808%20stenstrom%20Hp%20Treatment.pdf . After reading the section about the stool antigen test, I am wondering if it is still correct? It says: "In a systematic review evaluating the stool antigen test, the sensitivity and specificity were 91 and 93%, respectively. However, specimens are sensitive to room temperature and must be immediately frozen after collection. Polyclonal tests are less accurate than monoclonal tests."

My lab does not air condition or freeze the samples, but just puts them inside of a box. :( I have a ice chest and ice pack that I received my probiotics inside and am thinking that this might be better to keep the sample cold until it is transported from the lab at the doctor's office to the main lab at the hospital that does the testing.

Thank you so much for responding! I appreciate your taking the time.

Best wishes,
Sunshine

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 12:19 am
by Helico_expert
to be honest, i do not have much experience with stool sample. However, from my limited experience, we do have a sample that was left on bench for 2 weeks and still showed positive result. So I think temperature is probably not that important.

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 9:59 am
by sunshine37
Thank you, Helico expert. That is comforting to know! And, helpful to me, as well. :) Best wishes, Sunshine

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:28 am
by FunkOdyssey
I've had the following tests for h. pylori recently:

Serum IgG antibodies: positive
Stool test: negative
Gastric biopsy: positive

Therefore, my confidence in the stool test is pretty low at this point. If the test is only 90% sensitive, that means 1 out of 10 people will have false negatives. To diagnose active infection, I personally only have faith in biopsies and urea breath tests.

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 12:03 pm
by sunshine37
Dear Funk Odyssey:

I read that the stool test (monoclonal) is 94% effective, while the polyclonal version is 80%. The urea breath test is better, at 96%. But even then, sometimes (from the study i read), it misses the H Pylori. so, it is good to get both the blood test, stool test and breath test, if the stool test comes out negative. I may be doing that. If my doctor (general practitioner) referred me to a gastroenterologist, I would be happy to go and get a biopsy. I guess that is saved in case the antibiotics do not work the first time around. :)

Best wishes,
Sunshine

Re: H Pylori Transmission By Urine, can Barjammar please rev

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 6:51 am
by sfgreen
Hello Helico Doctor,

I'd like to build on the temperature questions. I have narrowed my infection source down to two meals. One of them was soup and fishcake cooked by a friend, but I left it in the refrigerator for three days before eating it. When I microwaved it (in hindsight probably not hot enough), I felt stomach discomfort within 3-1/2 hours and started vomiting eight hours after ingestion. After a few weeks of very uncomfortable bloating/distension after certain meals, usually with sugar, I was tested positive with H Pylori.

Assuming the cause of all my problems is H Pyloti ingestion, and my GI doctor thinks that is highly likely, do you know if in food/soup but in frigid temperatures like a refrigerator for three days will permit H Pylori to survive? If the answer is no, then I can rule out that meal. If the answer is yes or not certain, then I still have two possible sources.

Thanks!