Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a pervasive organism found in approximately 50% of the global population, with transmission occurring through either oral-to-oral or fecal-to-oral contact.

Signs and Symptoms:

In general, individuals infected with H. pylori are often asymptomatic, and no specific clinical signs or symptoms have been distinctly outlined. However, when present, signs and/or symptoms may manifest as follows:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Heartburn
  • Diarrhea
  • Morning hunger
  • Halitosis (bad breath)

Diagnosis:

For patients suspected of H. pylori infection, various laboratory studies can assist in the diagnosis:

  • H. pylori fecal antigen test: Highly specific (98%) and sensitive (94%), yielding positive results in the early stages of infection; useful for posttreatment eradication detection.
  • Carbon-13 urea breath test: Elevated concentration of labeled carbon in breath indicates the presence of urease in the stomach, a reaction specific to H. pylori infection.
  • H. pylori serology: Exhibits high specificity and sensitivity (>90%), valuable for detecting newly infected patients but less effective for follow-up in treated patients.

Staging:

While there isn’t a formal staging system for H. pylori infection, distinct steps in the disease process are well-described:

  • Chronic gastritis
  • Atrophic gastritis
  • Intestinal metaplasia, which may progress to dysplasia
  • Gastric adenocarcinoma: Consider ultrasonography and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with gastric MALTomas (mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue lymphomas) for more precise disease staging.

Share

Leave A Reply

    Rate this post