Can a blood test show H. pylori?

A blood test can show H. pylori antibodies, which means you have been exposed at some point. It cannot tell whether the infection is still there, so a positive result is usually confirmed with a breath or stool test. The Extended option includes a stool test.

What is the difference between the standard and Extended options?

The standard option is a blood test for coeliac and H. pylori antibodies. The Extended option adds stool tests for H. pylori, bowel inflammation and hidden blood, plus blood tests for anaemia, iron and liver function.

Is the QFIT test a bowel cancer screening test?

No. FIT is used by GPs to help decide who needs further bowel investigations, but on its own it is not a screening test. It does not replace the national bowel cancer screening programme if you are invited, and you should see your GP about any bowel symptoms.

Digestive Health Blood Test at Jace Medical

Organ function

Private blood test

Digestive Health Blood Test

Coeliac and H. pylori antibody screening, with an extended option adding liver, iron, gut inflammation and stool tests.

2 biomarkers
No fasting needed

Choose your panel

Standard2 biomarkers£99Extended13 biomarkers£309

Digestive Health

£99Includes sample collection

Book this test Ask a question

We confirm your appointment and any preparation, such as fasting, before you attend.

What’s included

2 biomarkers in Digestive Health.

No fasting needed

Digestion & pancreas2

Pancreas function, coeliac disease screening, gut inflammation and H. pylori, a common stomach infection.

H. pylori Antibody
Tissue Transglutaminase IgA (Coeliac)

About this test

Is the Digestive Health Blood Test right for you?

Who it’s for

You have ongoing gut symptoms with no clear cause, such as diarrhoea, stomach ache or bloating.
You have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). NHS guidance recommends coeliac testing for adults with IBS symptoms.
You have unexplained iron, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, type 1 diabetes or autoimmune thyroid disease, which are linked to coeliac disease.
A parent, brother, sister or child has coeliac disease.
You have indigestion or upper tummy pain that keeps coming back and want to check for H. pylori, a cause of stomach ulcers.

What it can show

Tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG IgA) is the antibody test NICE recommends first when looking for coeliac disease. A raised level suggests the immune system is reacting to gluten.
The H. pylori antibody test shows whether you have been exposed to H. pylori bacteria. It cannot tell a current infection from a past one.
The Extended option adds three stool tests. The H. pylori stool antigen test is one of the tests UK guidance prefers for diagnosing H. pylori. Calprotectin is a marker of inflammation in the bowel that can help tell inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) apart from IBS. QFIT looks for traces of blood in your poo.
The Extended option also adds a full blood count and ferritin, to check for anaemia and low iron stores, and liver tests (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, bilirubin and albumin).

What it can’t tell you

The coeliac test is only accurate if you are eating gluten regularly. A negative result does not completely rule out coeliac disease, and a positive result needs to be confirmed by a gut specialist, usually with a biopsy.
This test does not measure total IgA. A small number of people naturally have low IgA, which can make the coeliac antibody test unreliable, so NICE recommends checking total IgA as well.
The H. pylori antibody can stay positive after the infection has gone, so it cannot show whether treatment has worked. UK guidance recommends confirming a positive antibody result with a breath or stool test.
QFIT and calprotectin are not screening tests, and they do not replace a bowel screening programme. If you have symptoms such as blood in your poo, a change in your bowel habits or weight loss, see your GP even if your results are normal.
Results need to be interpreted alongside your symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment of digestive conditions are with your GP or specialist.

Before your test

Keep eating gluten before your test. NICE advises eating some gluten in more than one meal every day for at least 6 weeks beforehand. Do not start a gluten-free diet until a specialist has confirmed a diagnosis.
You do not need to fast for either option.
For the Extended option you will provide stool samples, so follow the collection instructions carefully. The H. pylori stool test is less reliable within 2 weeks of taking a proton pump inhibitor (such as omeprazole or lansoprazole) or within 4 weeks of antibiotics. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescriber, and tell us what you take.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen can raise calprotectin, so tell us if you have taken any recently.

Your results

Usually within a couple of working days. We email your results once a doctor has reviewed them.

How it works

From booking to results in three steps.

Step 1
Request your test
Send a booking request online or call us. We confirm your clinic, appointment time and any preparation.
Step 2
Visit the clinic
A short appointment for professional sample collection at Greysteel or Letterkenny. No GP referral needed.
Step 3
Receive your results
Usually within a couple of working days, emailed to you once a doctor has reviewed them.

Common questions

Questions about this test.

Yes. The test looks for your body’s reaction to gluten, so cutting it out can give a falsely normal result. NICE advises eating gluten in more than one meal every day for at least 6 weeks before testing.