Fasting Required: No
Specimen: Blood
Results: 1-2 Business Days
Description: This test measures for IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) which are strongly associated with chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach) and peptic ulcer disease.

More than 50% of the world's population harbor H. pylori in their upper gastrointestinal tract. Infection is more prevalent in developing countries, and incidence is decreasing in Western countries.

H. pylori is a bacterium that can inhabit various areas of the stomach and small intestine, causing a chronic, low-level inflammatory state. Over 80% of individuals infected with the bacteria are asymptomatic.