Heliobacter pylori, or H. pylori, is a bacteria that lives in the stomach and upper part of the digestive tract. Many people infected with H. pylori never exhibit any signs of the infection and are unaware that they are infected. For reasons that remain unclear, other people infected with H. pylori develop stomach ulcers or even stomach cancer as a result of the infection.
Prevalence
The Mayo Clinic estimates that about half of all people carry the H. pylori bacteria, but most people suffer no ill effects of the infection, and infection levels in the United States are decreasing. Most people catch H. pylori as children, according to the Mayo Clinic, but of the people who ultimately suffer from the effects of the bacteria, most do not show symptoms until adulthood.
Spread
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says that scientists are not sure exactly how H. pylori passes from person to person. They suspect that it can spread in contaminated water supplies, in food that is unclean or not fully cooked, or through the saliva, vomit or fecal matter of an infected person. People catch the infection only after direct contact with the source of infection. The bacteria enter the body through the mouth and establish an infection in the stomach or the upper part of the digestive tract. Unlike most bacteria, H. pylori thrives in the highly acidic environment of the stomach because it produces an enzyme to surround itself in a low-acid pool.
Risk Factors
Crowded or unsanitary conditions promote the spread of H. pylori, and people in developing nations have higher risk because of greater exposure to such conditions. People living with someone who carries H. pylori also have an increased risk of catching it.
Diagnosis
Because H. pylori infection is so common, U.S. doctors generally do not test for it unless a person has symptoms of a possible infection. There are several tests that can establish whether a person carries H. pylori, including blood, stool and even breath tests. Using endoscopy, a doctor can snake a long flexible tube containing a camera down the throat to look for possible effects of the virus on the walls of the stomach, and take biopsies for H. pylori testing at the same time. Because endoscopy is invasive, doctors use it for screening, but only if a patient exhibits serious symptoms of a possible H. pylori infection.
Prevention/Solution
According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no proven method to prevent the spread of H. pylori. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases advises lowering the risk by always using good bathroom hygiene, washing hands before eating, and drinking safe, clean water.
