H. pylori (stomach bacteria) test

What this test is

H pylori is a common stomach bacteria. It can cause ulcers and stomach irritation. There are a few ways to test for it. These are a breath test, a stool test, and a blood antibody test. Testing makes sense if you have stomach pain or certain risk factors. It also makes sense if you have unexplained low iron. One thing to know: the blood antibody test can stay positive long after an infection is gone. So it cannot tell your doctor if you still have an infection that needs treatment. The breath and stool tests are better at confirming an infection that is active now. If you test positive, the plan is to treat it with antibiotics. That is the whole point of testing.