Helicobacter pylori infection (patient information)

Helicobacter pylori infection
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for (Condition)?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Yamuna Kondapally, M.B.B.S[2]

Overview

Helicobacter pylori infection is an acute or chronic illness caused by infection of the stomach with the bacterium H. pylori. The infection is mostly without symptoms. Approximately half of worlds population is infected with H. pylori. The disease is characterized by dyspepsia, gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, adenocarcinoma of stomach or MALT lymphoma.

What are the symptoms of Helicobacter pylori infection?

Majority of patients infected are asymptomatic. Symptoms of H. pylori infection include:

• Bad breath
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chest pain or tummy ache
• Bloating
• Burping
• Fullness of stomach
• Dark or tarry like stools
• Feeling tired
• Loose stools

What causes Helicobacter pylori infection?

Helicobacter pylori infection is caused by the bacterium H. pylori. The infection occurs in places with overcrowding and poor hygiene. People get the infection by eating or drinking contaminated food or water and through close contact like sharing utensils, drinking glasses and kissing.

Who is at highest risk?

The risk factors include:

• Exposure to contaminated or untreated water
• Exposure to contaminated food
• Living in unhygienic and low socioeconomic conditions
• More common in African American or Hispanic descent and old people
• Close contact with infected saliva ( e.g., kissing, by sharing eating utensils and drinking glasses), feces and vomit

Diagnosis

If you have symptoms see your doctor. Tests that may be done include:

• Blood tests
• Breath test
• Tissue test (using an instrument with camera to collect stomach tissue)

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if you develop:

• Indigestion or heartburn not responding to antacids
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chest or tummy pain which is aggravating or relieving with food
• Black stools or blood in vomitus (gastrointestinal bleeding)
• Diet, appetite or weight changes
• Pallor skin, mucous membranes or eyes
• Loose stools

Treatment options

The mainstay of therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection includes appr0priate antibiotic treatment which includes:

• Triple drug therapy:

PPIs + Clarithromycin + Amoxicillin or metronidazole

• Quadraple drug therapy:

PPIs + Clarithromycin + Bismuth subsalicylate + Metronidazole

Diseases with similar symptoms

• Acute gastritis
• Chronic gastritis
• Atrophic gastritis
• Crohn's disease
• GERD
• Gatrinoma
• Gastric adenocarcinoma
• Primary gastric lymphoma

Where to find medical care for Helicobacter pylori infection?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Helicobacter pylori infection