Helicobacter Pylori Antigen
This stool test detects active H. pylori infection by identifying bacterial antigens. It is more accurate than blood antibody tests for confirming current infection and verifying successful treatment.
1 day
Turnaround
Stool
Sample
What the Helicobacter Pylori Antigen test tells you
Helicobacter pylori is a spiral bacterium that lives in the mucus layer lining the stomach. Many people carry it for years without knowing; in others it causes chronic gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and over long periods it raises the risk of certain stomach cancers. This test looks in a stool sample for antigens, meaning fragments of the bacterium itself, which are shed continuously for as long as the organism is present.
Detecting the organism rather than the body's reaction to it is the whole point, and it is what separates this test from the H. pylori antibody blood test. Antibodies stay in the blood long after an infection has been cured, so a positive antibody result cannot tell a current infection from one dealt with years ago. Stool antigen is only present while the bacterium is actually there. That makes this test suitable both for diagnosing an active infection and, importantly, for confirming that a course of eradication treatment has genuinely worked, which the antibody test cannot do.
For the result to be trustworthy, medication timing matters more here than for most tests. Antibiotics, bismuth-containing preparations and acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitors suppress the bacterium without necessarily clearing it, and can produce a falsely negative result in someone who is still infected. Your doctor will normally ask you to stop these for a defined period beforehand, and to leave an interval after finishing eradication therapy before testing for cure.
Preferred for diagnosing active H. pylori infection and confirming successful eradication after antibiotic therapy.
Antigen appears in stool only while the bacterium is in the stomach, so a positive result reflects infection now rather than exposure at some point in the past.
After a course of treatment this test can confirm the organism has actually gone, which a blood antibody test cannot do.
In people with persistent dyspepsia or a history of ulcer, finding and treating H. pylori often resolves the underlying problem.
It gives information about the organism itself from a sample you collect at home, without the discomfort of a gastroscopy.
Reasons your doctor may request the Helicobacter Pylori Antigen test
Your doctor may order this test for any of the reasons below. Some are routine checks, others follow specific symptoms or an earlier result.
Persistent indigestion
Persistent indigestion, upper abdominal burning or fullness, particularly when it keeps returning.
Ulcers & unexplained anaemia
A current or previous stomach or duodenal ulcer.
Unexplained iron deficiency anaemia where the stomach is a possible source.
After treatment, family risk & before painkillers
Confirmation of cure after completing a course of eradication antibiotics, at the interval your doctor advises.
A close family member diagnosed with stomach cancer, when your doctor is assessing your own risk.
Before starting long-term anti-inflammatory painkillers or aspirin in someone at higher risk of ulcer.
No fasting window — pick any slot that suits you, online or on WhatsApp.
A DHA-licensed nurse collects your sample at home or in the office — free home collection.
A physician-reviewed, easy-to-read report lands securely by WhatsApp and email.
Detects H. pylori antigen in stool (active infection).
Helicobacter Pylori Antigen
Detects H. pylori antigen in stool (active infection).
The target was not detected — a negative result.
The target was detected — a positive result. Please consult your physician.
This test is reported descriptively rather than on a numeric scale — each finding below explains what your report may say.
This information is for general education only and is not medical advice. Reference ranges can vary by laboratory, age, sex, and individual factors. Always consult your physician or doctor to interpret your results.
What a higher result can point to
- Active infection of the stomach lining with Helicobacter pylori.
- Infection persisting after eradication treatment that did not fully work, often because of antibiotic resistance.
- Reinfection after a previously successful course, which is uncommon but does happen.
- Testing too soon after finishing treatment, when fragments of dead organism may still be shed.
These are possibilities, not diagnoses. A single value outside the reference range is interpreted alongside your symptoms, history and other tests — your doctor decides what it means for you.
What this test cannot tell you
- A negative result obtained while taking a proton pump inhibitor, bismuth or antibiotics may be falsely negative, because these suppress the bacterium without eradicating it.
- The test shows that the organism is present but says nothing about whether it has caused gastritis, an ulcer or any other damage, which needs endoscopy to establish.
- Testing too soon after finishing treatment can give a positive result from residual antigen rather than from living infection.
- A negative result means only that no antigen was detected and carries no separate significance of its own.
Risks of the blood draw
- Mild bruising or brief soreness where the needle went in.
- Occasional lightheadedness, which settles after a few minutes of rest.
- Bleeding or infection at the site, which is rare with sterile single-use equipment.
- 1This test detects the bacterium itself, so it reflects infection that is present now.
- 2Unlike the antibody blood test, it can be used to confirm that treatment has worked.
- 3Acid-suppressing medicines, bismuth and antibiotics must be stopped for the period your doctor specifies, or the result may be falsely negative.
- 4A positive result does not tell you whether an ulcer is present.
- 5Treatment decisions, including which antibiotics to use, belong to your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the Helicobacter Pylori Antigen test. Can't find what you're looking for?
Talk to our team→Antibodies persist in the blood long after the infection has been cleared, so a positive antibody result cannot distinguish a current infection from a past one. The stool antigen test detects the bacterium itself and turns negative once it is gone, which is what you need both for diagnosis and for confirming cure.
It genuinely matters. Proton pump inhibitors reduce the number of bacteria in the stomach without eliminating them, and the antigen shed can fall below what the test picks up. Testing while on them risks a negative result in someone who is still infected. Ask your doctor before stopping any prescribed medicine.
Not immediately. Fragments of dead organism can still be shed for a while after antibiotics, which risks a positive result that no longer reflects living infection. Your doctor will tell you what interval to leave after your last dose.
No. Many people carry H. pylori without ulcers or symptoms. The test tells you the bacterium is there. Whether it has caused gastritis or an ulcer is a separate question that may need endoscopy, and your doctor decides whether that is warranted.
This stool test detects active H. pylori infection by identifying bacterial antigens. It is more accurate than blood antibody tests for confirming current infection and verifying successful treatment.
Preferred for diagnosing active H. pylori infection and confirming successful eradication after antibiotic therapy.
No, fasting is not required for the H. pylori Stool Antigen test, so you can eat and drink normally beforehand.
The H. pylori Stool Antigen test uses a stool sample, collected quickly by our DHA-licensed phlebotomist with minimal discomfort.
Results for the H. pylori Stool Antigen test are typically ready within 1 day. You will receive a secure digital report, and your Smart Report highlights anything outside the normal range.
The H. pylori Stool Antigen test is AED 270, which includes free home sample collection and a physician-reviewed report. You can also build a custom panel and pay only for the markers you choose.
Yes. A DHA-licensed phlebotomist can collect your sample at home or the office anywhere in Dubai at no extra cost, 7 days a week. See how it works.
It is commonly chosen by all ages. If you are not sure it is right for you, our care team is happy to advise.
Add the H. pylori Stool Antigen test to your cart and complete the short booking wizard, choosing home collection or a lab visit. Guest checkout lets you book without creating an account.
Yes. It is processed at our EIAC-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189:2022) under DHA license 0046381 and verified by board-certified pathologists.
Every report includes reference ranges and plain-language notes. If you have questions, our care team can arrange a clinician review — just get in touch.
Absolutely. Add it to a curated health package or bundle it with any of our 160+ biomarkers, often from a single sample in one visit.