Do you have an H. Pylori infection?

Описание: H. pylori is a spiral-shaped, gram-negative bacterium. It is most likely transmitted from person to person, mainly by fecal-oral route and possibly by oral-oral route. H. pylori colonizes the mucus layer of the stomach and damages the stomach lining, leading to ulcers and chronic inflammation in the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. H. pylori affects two thirds of the world’s population and One-Third of Americans.

While most people infected with H. pylori do not have any symptoms. Some people can develop
Stomach pain
Loss of appetite
Bad tastes in the mouth
Belching
Nausea
Gum bleeding
Sensation of a full stomach
Unintentional Weight loss
Heart burn

Chronic infection with H. pylori may lead to:
Gastric ulcers
Duodenal or upper intestinal ulcers
Severe bleeding from the ulcers
Scarring from an ulcer which causes stomach outlet obstruction. This condition prevents food inside the stomach from passing into the intestine.
Perforation of the stomach and the upper intestine
Stomach inflammation
Stomach atrophy
Stomach cancer
MALT lymphoma

There are three major tests for the diagnosis of H. Pylori infection.

Breath test
Stool test
Biopsy of the stomach lining through upper endoscopy

H. pylori infections are usually treated with two different antibiotics and an acid-suppressing drug such as a Proton pump inhibitor or a Histamine-2 blocker.
Antibiotics help kill H. Pylori
Proton pump inhibitors include omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole
Histamine-2 blockers include Cimetidine, Famotidine, Nizatidine, Ranitidine
Some treatment regimen adds Bismuth to help kill H. pylori, Bismuth can coat peptic ulcer and protect it from stomach acid.

You should take all of the medicines for 14 days to maximize the chance for eliminating H. pylori infection.

It is recommended to have a test for H. pylori at least four weeks after completing the treatment. If your H. Pylori test continues to be positive, you should be treated with a different combination of antibiotics.

To prevent H. pylori infection, you should wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and before preparing or eating food.
Drink clean water and use clean water for food preparation.