Objective To evaluate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori antigen in saliva and the activity of gastritis and like intestinal metaplasia(IM)or atypical hyperplasia(AH).Methods From June 2004 to June 2005 Helicobacter pylori antigen were detected in saliva of 246 persons by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the Hp-positive rates in saliva in patients with different gastritis were compared.Results The Hp-positive rate in saliva in patients with active chronic gastritis was 74.29%(26/35),which was significantly higher(P

OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antigen in serum and to evaluate its clinical diagnostic value.

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was developed to detect the soluble H. pylori antigen (S-Hp) and circulatory specific H. pylori antigen immunocomplexes (Hp-IC) in serum.

RESULTSThe positive rate of S-Hp was 90.91% from 66 patients with H. pylori infection, which was much greater than 0% found in 28 controls (P < 0.001). Moreover, its concentration closely reflected the number of H. pylori in the gastric mucosa layer. We also found that Hp-IC existed bound with IgG and/or IgA in patients with positive S-Hp. However, there is no evidence to show the concentration of S-Hp reduced significantly in followed-up subjects after effective therapy.

CONCLUSIONSThese methods as newly and noninvasive complementary tools can be used for clinical diagnosis of H. pylori infection. In addition, S-Hp and Hp-IC may be of importance in H. pylori pathogenesis.

Adult ; Antibody Specificity ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; blood ; Antigens, Bacterial ; blood ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; immunology ; Helicobacter pylori ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male