digestive disorders
Helicobacter pylori Infection
Introduction
) infection is a bacterial infection that causes stomach inflammation ( Gastritis ), The infection is caused by a type of bacteria calledHelicobacter pylori(H. pylori). When symptoms ofH. pyloriinfection do occur, they include indigestion and pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen. Doctors often base the diagnosis on the results of a breath or stool test or on an examination of the stomach using a flexible viewing tube (upper endoscopy). Treatment is with antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor. (See also Introduction to Gastritis and Peptic Ulcer Disease .) is the most common cause of Gastritis and H. pyloriinfects the lining of the stomach and can also be found in stool, saliva, and plaque on the teeth.H. pylorican be transmitted from person to person, especially if people who are infected do not thoroughly wash their hands after a bowel movement. Because people may also spread the bacteria through kissing or other close contact, infections tend to cluster in families and among people who live in nursing homes and other supervised facilities. Certain bacteria, calledHelicobacter pylori, are the most common cause of gastritis and peptic ulcers. H. pyloribacteria grow in the protective mucus layer of the stomach lining, where they are less exposed to the highly acidic juices produced by the stomach. Additionally,H. pyloriproduces ammonia, which helps protect it from stomach acid and enables it to disrupt and penetrate the mucus layer. 