Background: Gold standard methods of detection of Helicobacter pylori are expensive, difficult to perform, or not widely available. The purpose of this study was to assess hematoxylin and eosin staining of antral tissue, a relatively inexpensive and widely available method of H. pylori detection.
Materials and methods: The hematoxylin and eosin stain was assessed as a method of H. pylori detection, with 2 x 2 table analysis using culture as the gold standard in 133 gastric biopsy specimens obtained from patients both before and following attempted eradication.
Results: Performance of the stain was good among untreated patients as well as among patients having previously undergone an eradication treatment, with an overall accuracy of 92% (95% confidence intervals: 86-96), sensitivity of 93% (87-97), and specificity of 87% (69-96).
Conclusion: The hematoxylin and eosin stain is an inexpensive method of H. pylori detection but with test performance characteristics inferior to Giemsa, Genta, or silver stains.