New Test for H. pylori Infection

A team of scientists at Northwestern University in Illinois recently devised a test to identify the presence of Heliobacter pylori in the intestine. These bacteria live in the intestine, cause low-grade inflammation, and may be a cause of ulcers and stomach cancer. Detection is difficult because most people who are infected do not have clear symptoms. This test, called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) involves amplifying pieces of DNA to aid in determining the kind of bacteria present. The research team examined biopsies from the stomach and esophagus, and this new test enabled them to identify a significant number of H. pyloriinfections that would not have been diagnosed by the conventional methods. PubMed, January 2008 
2008-11-10 16:52:56