Thin layer immunoassay; an economical approach to diagnoseHelicobacter pyloriInfection in gastroduodenal ulcer disease patients of Pakistan; a comparative analysis

Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers and gastric adenocarcinoma. Gastric patient’s serums were screened for H. pylori infection by thin layer immunoassay. A polystyrene plate coated with H. pylori sonicate whole cell antigen (10 μg/ml). Two fold-diluted patient’s serum was allowed to react at 37 °C, incubated at 60 °C for 1 min over water bath and recorded water condensation pattern for H. pylori antibody. Gastric patient’s blood samples (62% male and 6% female) were tested positive for H. pylori, while agewise 15–25 years males (36%) and 65–75 years females (50%) showed highest number of H. pylori infection. Thin layer immunoassay showed sensitivity (72–67%), specificity (100%), accuracy (94–69%) and κ value (0.493–0.357) in comparison with wELISA, sELISA and kELISA. We conclude thin layer immunoassay was reliable, low cost, quick, simple and clinically useful method for H. pylori diagnosis in patients of Pakistan.