H. pylori Result Meaning — Positive Result Explained

H. pylori is a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining and causes most peptic ulcers. Which test you had matters: a stool antigen or breath test shows current infection, while an antibody blood test can stay positive for years after successful treatment.

Reference ranges

Stool antigen positiveCurrent, active infection
Breath test positiveCurrent, active infection
Antibody (blood) positiveExposure at some point — may not be current
NegativeNo current infection detected

Reference ranges vary between laboratories and methods. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.

Seek care urgently if

What a high result can mean

Active infection

Needs eradication treatment — a combination of antibiotics with acid suppression.

Antibody positive only

Cannot distinguish current from past infection; a stool antigen test clarifies.

Reinfection

Uncommon after successful treatment but possible.

What a low result can mean

Negative on stool or breath test

No active infection — symptoms have another cause.

Tested while on acid-suppressing medication

Can produce a false negative; these are usually stopped two weeks before testing.

Have your result in front of you?

Send us the value and we will tell you whether it needs an appointment or not. No account, no form.

Ask about my H. pylori result

Nothing is stored on this website.

What happens next

Eradication is a specific combination taken for one to two weeks — completing it fully matters, because partial courses drive resistance. A follow-up stool antigen test four weeks after finishing confirms it worked.

H. pylori Test Full Blood Count Abdominal Ultrasound

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This page explains what a result can mean in general terms. It is not a diagnosis and cannot account for your history, medication or examination. All visits to Mascot Healthcare are by appointment — Mon–Sat, 9AM–5PM, 52 Sholanke Street, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.