What is Helicobacter Pylori?

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped, slightly anaerobic, and very demanding growth condition. In 1983, it was successfully isolated from the gastric mucosa biopsy of patients with chronic active gastritis, and it is the only microbial species currently known to survive in the human stomach.

Basic Information

TCM disease name

Helicobacter pylori

English name

Helicobacter pylori

Visiting department

Internal medicine

Common locations

stomach

Common causes

Helicobacter pylori

Common symptoms

Fullness, discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen after eating, often accompanied by other adverse symptoms such as belching, bloating, acid reflux, and loss of appetite

Diseases caused by Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori includes gastritis, peptic ulcer, and lymphoproliferative gastric lymphoma caused by Helicobacter pylori infection.

H. pylori harm

The poor prognosis of H. pylori is gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and ranks second among cancer deaths. In China, about 160,000 people die of stomach cancer each year.

Clinical manifestations of Helicobacter pylori

The prevention and control of gastric cancer has attracted increasing attention. Studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common bacterial pathogens that live in the human gastric pylorus. Most people in the world have been infected with H. pylori, and in some countries almost 90% of people have been infected with the bacteria. People are usually infected at an early age, reaching 50% under the age of 5. This bacterial infection first causes chronic gastritis, and causes gastric ulcers and atrophy. In severe cases, it develops into gastric cancer. According to statistics, the incidence of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer is higher in people who are infected with Helicobacter pylori for the first time. The incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection and the mortality of gastric cancer are parallel. Helicobacter pylori is parasitic in the gastric mucosa, and 67% to 80% of gastric ulcers and 95% of duodenal ulcers are caused by Helicobacter pylori. The common symptoms of patients with chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer are: fullness, discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen after eating, often accompanied by other adverse symptoms, such as belching, abdominal distension, acid reflux, and loss of appetite. Some patients may also experience recurrent severe abdominal pain and small bleeding from the upper digestive tract. Based on this, experts believe that early detection of Helicobacter pylori infection and timely and effective use of antibiotics to kill Helicobacter pylori have great significance for the prevention and control of gastric cancer.

Helicobacter pylori control

Medical scientists believe that it is not difficult to completely eliminate H. pylori. After 1 to 2 weeks of treatment in 90% of bacterial infections, H. pylori in the body can often be eliminated. They suggested that a universal census should be carried out, at least people who have had stomach surgery, had stomach problems, or had gastric cancer among their relatives should be tested for Helicobacter pylori, and those infected should be sterilized, which is expected to control gastric cancer.