I told you earlier that the average H. pylori infection rate in China is about 59%. Then the question arises. In outpatient clinics, we see patients with various H. pylori test reports, such as C14 and C13 breath tests, H. pylori antibody tests, pathology reports, and so on. What is the importance of choosing these tests, today I will explain to you one by one. There are two types of H. pylori testing: invasive and non-invasive. The invasive ones include rapid urease test and gastric mucosal staining, which usually requires a clamped specimen under gastroscopy; non-invasive tests include C14, C13 breath test, stool antigen test, and serum antibody test. How should I choose? C14 and C13 breath tests are recommended for normal people or first-time checkups, which are easy and fast with high accuracy; rapid urease test, routine gastric mucosal staining and breath test are optional if gastroscopy is proposed; rapid urease test and routine gastric mucosal staining are recommended for postoperative patients. If the test is performed after H. pylori eradication treatment, a breath test (C14 or C13) is recommended; if the breath test is not available (e.g. in children, inability to perform gastroscopic biopsy, or in patients with severe respiratory disease), a stool antigen test is recommended. Serum antibody testing is not routinely recommended because of its limited clinical reference. Patients and friends can choose the appropriate test according to their own situation, and hope to make your examination more convenient and accurate.