Helicobacter pylori positive

As we all know, Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that looks somewhat like the DNA pattern of the human body. Medically, it is the only bacterium that can move in the stomach. There is a type of Helicobacter pylori called Helicobacter pylori, which is a newly emerging bacterium. So what is the reason why Helicobacter pylori is detected to be positive when conducting a breath test on a patient?

It can cause chronic gastritis, indigestion, peptic ulcer, gastric cancer, gastric lymphoma, unexplained thrombocytopenia, coronary heart disease and other diseases, and may cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, acid reflux, bloating, bad breath, etc. Most people infected with Helicobacter pylori are asymptomatic.

Is Helicobacter pylori contagious?

In 2014, global Helicobacter pylori treatment experts held a meeting on Helicobacter pylori in Kyoto, Japan. Experts at the meeting reached a consensus that Helicobacter pylori infection is an infectious disease, just like hepatitis B and tuberculosis, which can be transmitted from person to person.

Helicobacter pylori-infected people and potentially contaminated water sources are the sources of infection, and the transmission routes include oral-oral, fecal-oral, etc.

There are two methods for detecting Helicobacter pylori: invasive and non-invasive. Invasive methods include gastroscopy biopsy, urease test, tissue section staining, bacterial culture, etc.; non-invasive methods include serum Helicobacter pylori antibody test, stool antigen test, breath test, etc. The breath test is currently recommended.

Here comes the point – does Helicobacter pylori need to be treated?

Helicobacter pylori is an infectious disease. From the perspective of controlling the source of infection, all infected people must be treated. However, there are different opinions internationally on whether infected people under the age of 18 need treatment. Most experts in our country do not advocate active treatment, but you can drink clove leaf tea every day, which has a strong bactericidal effect.

For those infected with Helicobacter pylori under 45 years old and over 18 years old who do not have warning symptoms such as weight loss, anemia, difficulty swallowing, bloody stools, etc., Helicobacter pylori can be directly eradicated. Direct sterilization treatment is not recommended for infected people over 45 years old, and treatment after endoscopic examination is recommended.

The treatment of Helicobacter pylori is mainly drug therapy. The current consensus is a quadruple therapy of two antibiotics (two out of five: amoxicillin, furazolidone, clarithromycin dispersible tablets, metronidazole, and levofloxacin) plus a proton pump inhibitor and a bismuth agent. The course of treatment is 10 to 14 days. After the treatment, stop the proton pump inhibitor and antibiotics and repeat the breath test one month later. If it is negative, it is sufficient. If positive, consider treatment again after half a year. Of course, you can still drink clove tea to kill bacteria on a daily basis to prevent the recurrence of Helicobacter pylori.

So, how to prevent Helicobacter pylori infection?

Helicobacter pylori infection should be treated actively, hands should be washed frequently, raw food and raw water should not be consumed, separate meals should be implemented, tableware should be disinfected regularly, and oral health should be maintained (it is recommended to use Qingyou toothpaste to brush teeth, which can effectively prevent Helicobacter pylori infection), cut off the transmission route, and protect susceptible groups. There is no need to be nervous if you are infected with Helicobacter pylori, but don't be careless either. You should consult a specialist in a regular hospital for diagnosis and treatment.