Helicobacter Pylori IgG

Helicobacter pylori IgG positive means blood tests detected IgG antibodies to H. pylori, indicating past or current exposure to the bacterium. IgG may persist after treatment, so a positive result doesn’t reliably prove active infection. If symptomatic (stomach pain, ulcers) or to confirm active infection, clinicians usually use urea breath or stool antigen tests and may recommend treatment.

When Helicobacter pylori is positive, the bacterium colonizes the stomach lining, often causing chronic gastritis and contributing to peptic ulcer disease. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, belching and, if severe, gastrointestinal bleeding or iron‑deficiency anemia. Some people remain asymptomatic. Diagnosis uses breath, stool or endoscopic tests. Treatment is combination antibiotics plus a proton‑pump inhibitor to eradicate infection and reduce complications.

H. pylori is a common stomach bacterium that often causes no symptoms, but it can lead to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and an increased risk of stomach cancer and MALT lymphoma. Complications include bleeding or perforation, so it can be serious when causing disease. It’s usually curable with targeted antibiotics plus acid suppression; seek testing and treatment for persistent abdominal pain, ulcers, bleeding, or unexplained weight loss.

Normal H. pylori antibody levels vary by laboratory and test. Most IgG ELISA results use a lab-specific cutoff: values below the reference (commonly <20–30 U/mL or an index <0.9–1.0) are reported negative, and higher values are positive. Antibodies can persist for months after treatment, so a positive result doesn’t necessarily indicate active infection; breath or stool antigen tests better detect current infection.

To eradicate Helicobacter pylori, get tested (urea breath, stool antigen or endoscopic biopsy) and follow prescribed combination therapy— a proton‑pump inhibitor plus two antibiotics for about 10–14 days (or bismuth quadruple therapy if resistance). Complete the full course, report side effects, and confirm eradication with a urea breath or stool antigen test at least four weeks after finishing antibiotics.

H. pylori IgG antibodies often remain detectable for many months to years after infection or successful treatment. Levels commonly decline over 6–12 months but can persist for 1–2 years or longer, so a positive IgG does not reliably indicate active infection shortly after therapy. To confirm eradication, stool antigen or urea breath tests are preferred.