Objective: Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent of chronic gastritis, dyspepsia, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, mucosal and lymphoid tissue-derived lymphoma. Stool antigen test, which is a non-invasive method, is the most frequently used test in the routine laboratory diagnosis. This study aims to determine the prevalence of H. pylori by analyzing stool antigen test results over a 5-year period and contributing to studies in Turkey that have been conducted on the topic.

Methods: We analyzed retrospectively the results of H. pylori stool antigen test between 2014 and 2018. Immunochromatography based assay was used for the detection of H. pylori antigen.

Results: The number of samples submitted to our laboratory for H. pylori stool antigen test within the five-year period was 9766; repetitive tests were excluded. If any positive results changed in subsequent tests, they were assessed separately. Total positivity rate was 31.1%, positivity rates according to years were 14.9%, 37.2%, 35.9%, 29.6%, 34.9% respectively from 2014 to 2018. Total positivity rates were 31.9% in females, 29.9% in males, and 27.1% and 33.5% in children and adults, respectively. Based on the changes in the repetitive tests that were positive at first, eradication rate was 14.4%, and the recurrence rate was 2.2%.

Conclusion: H. pylori positivity rate is high, which is in line with the rest of the world. As well as proving posttreatment eradication, stool antigen tests could be used to detect recurrent infections. In order to understand the change in H. pylori positivity rates over time, it is necessary to conduct long-term and extension studies. Studies in this context to be carried out in our country are essential for the determination and follow-up of H. pylori prevalence in the population.