Objectives: To evaluate the coincidence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in patients presenting
with varied otorhinolaryngological diseases. Patients & Methods: The current survey study included 292 patients; 173
males and 119 females with mean age of 25.9±15.4 years. All patients underwent complete otorhinolaryngological
evaluation with special concern to the presenting complaint. Then, all enrolled patients underwent the urea breath test
(UBT) using the Heliprobe 14C UBT and the obtained surgical specimens or effusion samples or swabs were examined
by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of H. pylori DNA. Results: According to results of UBT, 41 patients
were H. pylori infected, 107 patients had borderline infection and 144 patients were free of infection. PCR examination
of H. pylori DNA detected 62 positive cases; 33 were positive and 29 were borderline UBT with a true positive rate of
80.5% for positive and 27.1% for borderline UBT. PCR assured H. pylori infection in 5 patients had CRS with
polyposis, in 9 patients with CRS without polyposis, in 17 patients with tonsillitis and in 10 patients with pharyngitis
without tonsillitis. PCR confirmed H. pylori infection in 15 patients with chronic otitis media (COM) with effusion and
in 6 patients with laryngitis. Conclusion: Upper air passages could be considered as reservoir for H. pylori that must be
considered as an underlying pathogenic mechanism for various otorhinolaryngological disorders and must be excluded
prior to surgical decision making. Urea breath test could be considered as a good positive screening test for presence of
H. pylori infection and must be applied as a routine test at otorhinolaryngological clinics.
[Adel F. Al-Kholy, Mamdouh Z. Abadier, Manal M. Hassaan, Ebrahem M. Rageh, Mohamed F. Shindy. Screening for
Helicobacter pylori Infection among Patients with Otorhinolaryngological Diseases May Spare Need for Surgical
Interference: A PCR Confirmed Study. J Am Sci. 2012; 8(5):83-88]. (ISSN: 1545-1003).