Study to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among the Sirte population (Libya) using an Antibody Rapid Test Cassette method.

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major pathogen in the context of gastroduodenal ulceration, gastric carcinoma, and other types of gastric and extra gastric disease. H. pylori infection can be diagnosed by different methods including invasive techniques such as endoscopy and biopsy, and non-invasive methods such as urea breath and serology tests for the detection of antibody and antigens. This required expensive laboratory equipment compared with the Antibody Rapid Test Cassette method for detection and diagnosis of H. pylori. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among the Sirte population (Libya) using an Antibody Rapid Test Cassette method. The Antibody Rapid Test Cassette method is a rapid, cheap, and simple test that utilizes a combination of H. pylori antigen and anti-human IgG to qualitatively and selectively detect H. pylori antibodies in serum. Methods: A total of 60 patients (30 males and 30 females) having H. pylori symptoms, were included in the study, Blood samples were collected from these 60 patients from different clinical laboratories in Sirte. All the samples were tested for H. pylori antibody using an (Antibody Rapid Test Cassette method). Results: Results showed that a positive antibody was detected in 50 samples of the 60 samples (the infection rate was 83%). There was a high level of antibody against H. pylori in 35/50 of the positive samples. 20 of the patients with higher levels were Male and 15 were female. 15/50 were low or medium positive reaction, P≤0.1099. Whilst 10/60 (16.66%) of the samples were negative, 3 of these 3 were from male patients, and 7 were from female patients. Conclusion: Serologic tests are widely available, noninvasive, inexpensive, and appropriate for screening in large epidemiologic studies. The occurrence of H. pylori infection reported in our study was high and therefore calls for health education about behavioral changes and adequate sanitation; Population screening and diagnosis using multiple tests are required to reduce H. pyloric infections.