Question:easy
The urea breath test is used for diagnosis of infection by which organism?
The urea breath test is used for diagnosis of infection by which organism?
Show Hint
Which urease-positive bacterium colonises the stomach and causes peptic ulcers?
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Helicobacter pylori
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Escherichia coli
- Lactobacillus
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Connect the test to its biochemical basis - the urea breath test relies on bacterial urease splitting urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Step 2: The classic strongly urease-positive gastric pathogen is Helicobacter pylori. A patient swallows isotope-labelled urea; if H. pylori is present, labelled $CO_2$ appears in the breath within minutes.
Step 3: Exclude the rest. Campylobacter jejuni is a stool-cultured enteric pathogen, while E. coli and Lactobacillus are not the targets of this gastric test.
Step 4: The urea breath test diagnoses H. pylori.
\[\boxed{\text{Helicobacter pylori}}\]
Step 2: The classic strongly urease-positive gastric pathogen is Helicobacter pylori. A patient swallows isotope-labelled urea; if H. pylori is present, labelled $CO_2$ appears in the breath within minutes.
Step 3: Exclude the rest. Campylobacter jejuni is a stool-cultured enteric pathogen, while E. coli and Lactobacillus are not the targets of this gastric test.
Step 4: The urea breath test diagnoses H. pylori.
\[\boxed{\text{Helicobacter pylori}}\]
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