Original article
English
Bakka A 1,Mohammad MA 1, Altayar M 1, Elgariani A 2, Alarabi MB 2, Toboli A1.
1-Department of Medical Microbiology, Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya. 2-Department of Medicine,Al-Arab Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
Libyan J Infect Dis. 2009;3(2):30-36
Abstract
Aims: To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in chronic dyspeptic patients, the factors involved in its acquisition in Benghazi area as well as to assess the accuracy and fitness of four diagnostic tests for these purposes.
Materials and Methods: One hundred and thirty two patients undergone upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were included. Three antral biopsies were taken and processed for rapid urease test (RUT), direct Gram stain (DGS) and histology. Serum samples were given for anti- H.pylori -IgG-ELISA as a non-invasive test. Semi-quantitative inflammatory and colonization scores were performed.
Results: A total of 107 patients (81%) were positively diagnosed as having the infection using two tests as reference standard. All four tests gave good sensitivities, specificities as well as accuracies when used in combination. Clinical data indicated the association of peptic ulcerations and duodenitis with H. pylori infections. Our serology was fit for evaluation of active infection if used in high titers.
Conclusion: H. pylori infection is significantly prevalent in Benghazi mandating a seroepidemiology and eradication studies to better shape the problem.
Keywords: Chronic dyspepsia, direct gram stain, Helicobacter pylori, rapid urease test, H. pylori serology, peptic ulcer diseases.
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