Helicobacter Pylori Tests

Blood antibody test

There is very little chance of a problem from having a blood sample taken from a vein.

• You may get a small bruise at the site. You can lower the chance of bruising by keeping pressure on the site for several minutes.
• In rare cases, the vein may become swollen after the blood sample is taken. This problem is called phlebitis. A warm compress can be used several times a day to treat this.
• Ongoing bleeding can be a problem for people with bleeding disorders. Aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), and other medicines that thin your blood can make bleeding more likely. If you have bleeding or clotting problems, or if you take blood-thinning medicine, tell your doctor before your blood sample is taken.

Urea breath test

There are no known risks or complications with a urea breath test. If radioactive carbon is used, the amount of radioactivity exposure is extremely small—less than you normally get from being outside during the day.

Stool antigen test

There are no risks or complications with a stool sample. But if you do not wash your hands well after collecting the sample, you may spread germs.

Stomach biopsy

There is a slight risk (1 in 10,000) of puncturing the wall of the Reference esophagus Opens New Window, stomach, or duodenum during an endoscopy to collect stomach biopsy samples. The biopsy may also cause some bleeding at the site where the samples are collected. But the bleeding usually stops without treatment. For more information, see the medical test Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

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