What are the properties of H. pylori?

Answer 1

Under the microscope, H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) is a spiral shaped rod, gram negative, 3*0.5 micrometers in size, and has 4-6 flagella. They are aerobic bacteria that are responsible for 80% of stomach ulcers. Besides microscopically observing stomach (stool) samples, one can also determine the presence of H. pylori by:

• culture of stomach fluid sample
• urea breath test
• measuring antibodies to urease in blood, saliva, or stool. However, these antibodies may persist long after the infection has been eradicated, so it is less useful than the breath test.

Another property of the H. pylori allows for the urea breath test. Since H. pylori contains high levels of urease, an enzyme which degrades urea to carbon dioxide (CO2), patients can swallow a dose of urea labeled with C13, then have their breath collected. The Collected exhale (labeled CO2) will then be measured in a mass spectrometer to determine if the concentration of CO2 indicates an H. pylori infection. This is an accurate test for H. pylori.