Meretek








ABOUT H. PYLORI

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a serious, chronic bacterial infection. An estimated 35% of the adult US population is infected.

Gastritis – 100% correlation with H. pylori 1 
Duodenal ulcers – 90% caused by H. pylori
Gastric ulcers – 80% caused by H. pylori 2

H. pylori is not the kind of bacteria that you want to ignore. The World Health Organization considers H. pylori a Group I carcinogen.3

• 60% of all gastric cancer cases are attributed to H. pylori infection.4 




>>More about H. pylori  


THE BREATHTEK™ UBT TEST

BreathTek UBT for H. pylori (BreathTek UBT) is a simple, convenient, non-invasive test to aid in the initial diagnosis and post treatment monitoring of active H. pylori infection in adult patients.

>>More about BreathTek UBT


DOCTOR INFORMATION 

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has recently updated its medical position statement for the Evaluation of Dyspepsia. This update includes the recommendation that, "Patients 55 years of age or younger without alarm features should receive H. pylori test and treat followed by acid suppression if symptoms remain. H. pylori testing is optimally performed by a 13C urea breath test or stool antigen test".

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PATIENT INFORMATION 

Does your stomach often hurt, but you’re not sure why? Are stomach aches and nausea a part of your daily life? You may have a peptic ulcer caused by H. pylori.

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ABOUT MERETEK 

Meretek Diagnostics Group of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. is the manufacturer of the BreathTek urea breath test for H. pylori. The company also provides the instrumentation necessary for the analysis of the BreathTek UBT samples.

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1Graham KS, Graham DY. Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of H. pylori-Associated Gastrointestinal Diseases. Newtown, PA: Handbooks in Health Care Co; 2006.
2Centers for Disease Control Web Site. The Key to Cure. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ulcer/keytocure.htm. Last Modified: September 28, 2006. Accessed December 13, 2007.
3World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancers. Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. 1994:61. Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol61/volume61.pdf.  Last updated 08/26/1997. Accessed December 13, 2007.
4Correa P. Is gastric carcinoma an infectious disease? N Engl J Med. 1991;325:1170-1171.



IN THE NEWS



October 2, 2007

Meretek Diagnostics, Inc. and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. Announce Completion of Merger


ROCKVILLE, Md. — Meretek Diagnostics, Inc. and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI) today announced the completion of a merger between the two companies. The merger forms a new division of OAPI called Meretek Diagnostics Group of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

>>read the full press release


April 3, 2007

Meretek Diagnostics Announces BreathTek™ Testing Services Agreement With PAML
 

LAFAYETTE, Colo. — Meretek Diagnostics, manufacturer of the BreathTek™ UBT urea breath test for the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori),
has signed a testing services agreement with Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories (PAML) of Spokane, Wash., the largest independent laboratory in the Northwest.

>>read the full press release



February 5, 2007

Study Calls For Better Treatment And Understanding of H. Pylori

Research shows one-third of patients are not tested before being treated for H. pylori infection, a major cause of peptic ulcers

LAFAYETTE, Colo. — Meretek Diagnostics Inc., manufacturer of the BreathTek™ UBT (urea breath test) kit for the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), said a newly published study clearly shows cause for concern with non-compliance in the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infections. 

>>read the full press release

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Copyright © 2008 OAPI. All rights reserved. Revised April 2008.
This site is intended for use by United States residents only. For more information about H. pylori and peptic ulcers, contact your doctor or other healthcare professional. BreathTek™ UBT is a trademark of  OAPI.

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