According to the National Institutes of Health, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral-shaped bacterium that infects the lining of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. This bacteria thrives in the acidic environment of the stomach and can cause inflammation, ulcer disease and even stomach cancer. A patient with H. pylori infection may notice symptoms such as burning abdominal pain, poor appetite and nausea, or he may have no symptoms at all.
Epidemiology
According to the Helicobacter Foundation, H. pylori infection is present in approximately 50 percent of adults over the age of 60 and is even more common in developing countries. Infection is more common in patients with low socio-economic status and is uncommon in small children. In developing countries, most adults are infected and approximately 10 percent of children per year acquire the infection. While H. pylori infection is common, complications from the infection are not. Approximately one-third of patients with H. pylori infection develop ulcer disease sometime in their lifetime.
Transmission
Though it is unclear how H. pylori is transmitted, it is most likely related to contaminated food or water. According to the NIH, it is likely that patients become infected by eating food that has not been washed thoroughly or drinking untreated drinking water. The infection may also spread from an infected person to an uninfected person. H. pylori has been found in the stool, vomit and saliva of infected persons, leading to the theory that it could be spread through contact with these bodily fluids.
Risk Factors
The risk factors for H. pylori infection depend on the country of birth. In developing countries, young children are at high risk for acquiring H. pylori, while in the United States adults over the age of 40 are at higher risk. According to the Helicobacter Foundation, other risk factors include crowded living conditions, living with an infected person and poor sanitation and food preparation.
Prevention
According to the NIH, it is difficult to know how to prevent H. pylori infection since it is not entirely certain how it is spread. It is recommended that people wash their hands with soap and water after using the bathroom and before eating, to eat food that has been washed and then cooked thoroughly and to drink water from a clean source.
Potential Treatments
According to the NIH, several new therapies are being developed to help eradicate and prevent H. pylori infection. New antibiotic combinations are being developed in order to combat the bacteria in patients with strains resistant to current treatments. Research is also being conducted regarding exactly how H. pylori is transmitted, and clinical trials are underway to develop vaccines to prevent the transmission of the bacteria.
