H Pylori Breath Test Conclusive?

[CheerfulSatchel]

Hello all, I hope all is going well! I really appreciate this forum and I'm glad it helps all of us dealing with this terrible bacteria.

I finished my treatment on October 31, and I took my breath test yesterday on November 30 (exactly 30 days after treatment). I stopped all PPI usage and antibiotics the day my treatment ended on October31.

My re-test stated I am now negative.

My questions are:

1) Can I safely say this result is conclusive?
2) Was it okay if I brushed my teeth about 2 hours prior to testing?
3) Was it okay if I took probiotic yogurt the entire week before testing?
4) General question - Is it okay if you drink a cup of water within 1 hour of testing?

Thank you!

[Helico_expert]

The breath test accuracy is over 95%.
however, it will be good to know how negative is negative.
for example. if the cut off of C14 breath test is 50 dpm and you get a score of 1 dpm. Then it's very negative.
if you get a score of 49 dpm. It's a "negative" too.

But usually the positive will be above 500 dpm.


brushing teeth will not affect breath test.

probiotics and yogurt will not affect breath test.

drink water within an hour will not affect the breath test.

[Plotun]

What does it mean when the UBT test shows below 50 dpm? That a small amount of bacteria is present or there's no detectable h.pylori at all? Is it possible that test shows 0 dpm?

[CheerfulSatchel]

What does it mean when the UBT test shows below 50 dpm? That a small amount of bacteria is present or there's no detectable h.pylori at all? Is it possible that test shows 0 dpm?

I'd like to know the answer to Plotun's question as well

Unfortunately the lab I tested at only gives DETECTED/NON-DETECTED results, nothing more specific. Hopefully this bug is gone for good... (at least for now)

[Helico_expert]

the dpm is a measurement of the radioactive carbon released by the breakdown of radioactive urea.
the quantity of the radioactive isotope is very very small. So you dont need to worry about it. We can discuss the safety in other section if you want to know.

So H. pylori has the enzyme, urease, to breakdown urea to make ammonia and CO2. The CO2 is what you breath out and get a measurement.

However, H. pylori is not the only organism that can break down urea. many microbes in the mouth or guts can. That's why you can get UTI from Ecoli. Because Ecoli can breakdown urea in your bladder as well.

anyway, the low dpm count is usually because of these other microbes.

a low dpm (or false negative) can happen when your stomach acid is not very strong at that testing time.
1. other microbes can start growing. (can sometimes give false positive)
2. H. pylori turn off the urease gene to stop making unwanted ammonia.

so the reasons that causes low acid in your stomach
1. recently taken PPI or any acid reducing agent
2. your stomach has taken so much damage, it's not producing acid anymore.

[CheerfulSatchel]

Got it, thank you for the excellent explanation!

[CheerfulSatchel]

As a follow up question, is it possible to tell if your body is producing low stomach acid? Or is that something that must be formally diagnosed via endoscopy?

Thank you!

[Plotun]

the dpm is a measurement of the radioactive carbon released by the breakdown of radioactive urea.
the quantity of the radioactive isotope is very very small. So you dont need to worry about it. We can discuss the safety in other section if you want to know.

So H. pylori has the enzyme, urease, to breakdown urea to make ammonia and CO2. The CO2 is what you breath out and get a measurement.

However, H. pylori is not the only organism that can break down urea. many microbes in the mouth or guts can. That's why you can get UTI from Ecoli. Because Ecoli can breakdown urea in your bladder as well.

anyway, the low dpm count is usually because of these other microbes.

a low dpm (or false negative) can happen when your stomach acid is not very strong at that testing time.
1. other microbes can start growing. (can sometimes give false positive)
2. H. pylori turn off the urease gene to stop making unwanted ammonia.

so the reasons that causes low acid in your stomach
1. recently taken PPI or any acid reducing agent
2. your stomach has taken so much damage, it's not producing acid anymore.

Thank You.
I will be doing a stool test next week. My question is this: is there a big difference between enzyme immunoassay (using monoclonal antibodies) and immunochromatography rapid stool tests. Laboratories in my area mostly use rapid immunochromatographic tests. Is this method reliable when it comes to eradication control?

For an example - is this type of test reliable?

https://www.accubiotech.com/product-h.p ... eces).html

[Helico_expert]

As a follow up question, is it possible to tell if your body is producing low stomach acid? Or is that something that must be formally diagnosed via endoscopy?

unfortunately the conventional method is to get your gastric juice from endoscopy.

The alternative method is to do string test. But it's not commonly practiced.

enzyme immunoassay (using monoclonal antibodies) and immunochromatography rapid stool tests. Laboratories in my area mostly use rapid immunochromatographic tests. Is this method reliable when it comes to eradication control?

These tests are reliable if they were processed by skilled technician. An experienced lab tech would produce very accurate result on these diagnostic test.