ABSTRACT
Helicobacter pylori is one of, if not the commonest bacterial infection worldwide with prevalence rates from 90% of the population in a country to 30%, with high rates found in non-industrialized countries (e.g. Africa, India) and low rates in industrialized countries (e.g. Europe, N. America). Infection is generally acquired in childhood and life-long colonization follows. Infection rates are linked to poverty, low social class, poor hygiene, and poor societal infrastructure, e.g. sewage disposal and overcrowding. The two main diseases caused by the organism are peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer/MALT lymphoma. On the other hand, colonization is related to low rates of esophageal carcinoma and asthma. The organism is a Gram-negative bacillus that colonizes the surface of the stomach and affecting stomach gastric-cell homeostasis leading to ulcer formation or cancer. The innate and adaptive systems are responsible for the acute and chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa, but H. pylori has several mechanisms for avoiding the immune response. Detection of the organism is with fecal antigen detection, breath test or PCR. The organism can be cultured, and sensitivity testing determined. Eradication rates are falling due to antibiotic resistance.
