Helicobacter pylori, or Hp for short, is a Gram-negative, microaerobic bacterium that lives in all areas of the stomach and duodenum. It causes mild chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa and may even lead to gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer. “Human-to-human” and “fecal-to-mouth” are the main modes and routes of transmission, as well as endoscopic transmission, and there is a significant clustering of Hp infection in families. Children of Hp-infected parents have a much higher chance of infection than other families.
Research data show that the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) in the general population is 35% to 87%, and in patients with gastritis and gastric ulcers the infection rate is more than 90%. Because of the potential risk of Hp infection leading to the development of serious diseases such as gastric cancer. Therefore, when many people learn of their Hp infection, they strongly urge their doctors to give them treatment to eradicate Hp. In fact, not all people with Hp infection need treatment.
Hp eradication is recommended for the following patients.
1, peptic ulcer;
2. low-grade malignant mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the stomach;
3, atrophic gastritis;
4.After resection of gastric cancer;
5.First-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer;
6.Iron deficiency anemia of unknown cause;
7.Patients requiring treatment.
Hp infection is the most important risk factor for gastric cancer, and there is strong evidence that Hp eradication can reduce the risk of gastric cancer, which is the best strategy to reduce the incidence of gastric cancer; Hp should be eradicated to prevent gastric cancer in high-risk groups, including
1. Immediate family members with gastric cancer;
2.Those who have been taking acid suppressants for more than one year;
3.People who plan to take acid suppressant drugs for more than one year;
4.People who have environmental factors with high risk of stomach cancer (heavy smoking, long-term exposure to dust, coal, quartz, cement, or quarry workers);
5.People who live in areas with high incidence of gastric cancer;
6. Those who are Hp positive and worried about the occurrence of gastric cancer; and the best time to eradicate Hp to prevent gastric cancer is before the occurrence of gastric precancerous lesions.
The symptoms of H. pylori infection lack specificity, similar to some symptoms of chronic gastritis, such as epigastric discomfort, vague pain, sometimes belching, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, the course of the disease is relatively slow, but easy to recur.
The current diagnostic testing methods for H. pylori include two categories: invasive and non-invasive. Invasive methods require endoscopy to obtain biopsies for testing, while non-invasive methods do not require endoscopy, such as the urea [13C/14C] breath test, the entire test process is time-consuming, the method allows many patients with heart disease, hypertension and for patients who can not tolerate gastroscopy to avoid the discomfort of doing gastroscopy, is currently one of the ideal detection methods.
Be sure to go to the hospital for regular treatment and follow the principles of combination (triple or quadruple), adequate dose and sufficient course (at least 1 week) to prevent the increase of drug-resistant strains due to irregular treatment.