Helicobacter Pylori in the stomach produces urease. The 13C UREA breath test detects the activity of the urease.
The patient ingests 13C-labelled urea and in the presence of urease 13C-labelled carbon dioxide is released in the patient's breath. This stable isotope of carbon can be quantified. A variant of the test uses 14C-labelled urea, in this case the patient exhales radioactive carbon dioxide which can then be detected.
The breath test becomes negative when H.Pylori has been eradicated, unlike the antibody test which remains positive after treatment.
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