What it measures
IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that can live in the stomach lining. H. pylori is linked to stomach ulcers and indigestion. The test shows whether the body has met the bacteria.
Why people test it
- Investigating indigestion, stomach pain or a stomach ulcer.
- Checking whether a person has ever been infected with H. pylori.
Typical range
There is no numeric range. The result is reported as positive, negative or equivocal. The report shows how that lab reports it.
Finger-prick or vein?
Providers offer this test only from a vein sample, taken at a clinic or by a visiting nurse.
Antibodies can stay in the blood after the bacteria have gone, so a positive result cannot tell a past infection from a current one.