5 ways to prevent stomach patients from spreading the virus to others

People usually think that stomach diseases are not as easily transmitted from person to person as respiratory infections. In fact, the causative agent of gastritis, Helicobacter pylori (Hp for short), is a highly contagious bacterium. Therefore, to prevent stomach problems, be careful to prevent diseases from entering the body through the mouth.

There are two main ways Helicobacter pylori is transmitted

Helicobacter pylori is a highly contagious bacterium. It is also the only bacterium that can break through the gastric mucosal barrier and parasitize in the stomach for a long time. After being infected with this bacteria, one-third of people will suffer from gastritis, peptic ulcers, and some patients will even develop gastric cancer.

So, how do people get infected with this bacteria? Nie Yuqiang, deputy director of Guangzhou First People's Hospital and chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology, said that according to epidemiological investigations, Helicobacter pylori surviving in gastric juice can enter the oral cavity through gastroesophageal reflux, remain on the teeth, and spread the infection through saliva. It can also be excreted in feces through the gastrointestinal tract, contaminating food and thus infecting other people.

In other words, there are two ways of transmission of Helicobacter pylori: oral-oral transmission and fecal-oral transmission. For example, if a healthy person becomes infected by kissing or eating with a person who is a Hp carrier, it is oral-oral transmission.

Clinically, Helicobacter pylori infection has a clear clustering phenomenon within families. For example, if parents are infected with Helicobacter pylori and eat at the same table, their children are much more likely to be infected than other families.

Four types of Hp carriers should be treated as soon as possible

According to clinical epidemiological surveys, the infection rate of Hp is high, and its incidence is second only to dental caries.

Nie Yuqiang said that in my country, the Hp infection rate in the general population is as high as 50%-80%, making it a high-infection country. It should be pointed out that although Helicobacter pylori infection is common among the population, only a few people get the disease. The vast majority of people carry Hp in their stomachs throughout their lives but never have any symptoms. This is called the Hp carrier state or carrier. Studies have shown that about 2/3 of Helicobacter pylori carriers are asymptomatic and therefore do not require treatment. Excessive treatment may cause adverse consequences such as drug resistance, dizziness, dermatitis, and drug allergy.

There are four types of Helicobacter pylori infection, it is recommended to treat as soon as possible -

1. Patients with peptic ulcer or other related gastric diseases;

2. Patients with erosive gastritis;

3. If there is a history of gastric cancer among parents, brothers, sisters and other immediate relatives, they may increase the risk of gastric cancer if they are infected with Helicobacter pylori, so this group of people should actively seek treatment;

4. People who are infected with Helicobacter pylori and are particularly psychologically panicked.

For the above four types of people, it is recommended to undergo Hp eradication treatment. The treatment process is not complicated and you can recover after taking the medicine for 10-14 days. After eradicating Hp, it is also beneficial for the prevention of gastric cancer.

Prevent infection: Use serving chopsticks when dining together

Helicobacter pylori is highly contagious and can be transmitted through saliva, hands, unclean tableware, feces, etc. In summer, people like to eat cold dishes and do not use serving chopsticks when dining together, which are all potential factors of infection. It can be said that Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that is eaten. Therefore, Nie Yuqiang emphasized that when eating at a table, it is best to use serving chopsticks to prevent the bacteria in the saliva from being spread to the food through the chopsticks and infecting each other.

Experts also pointed out that in daily life, we should pay attention to details to avoid contracting Helicobacter pylori.

● Brush your teeth carefully - Helicobacter pylori can grow and multiply in dental plaque, so brush your teeth carefully. This can eliminate dental plaque and Helicobacter pylori. Brushing your teeth in the morning and evening and rinsing your mouth after meals can reduce the possibility of Helicobacter pylori infection.

● Wash hands before meals - To prevent Helicobacter pylori infection, you must wash your hands carefully before meals, and wash and peel fruits and vegetables before eating them raw. These are good hygiene habits and are also key links in preventing Helicobacter pylori from entering the body.

●Cold dishes should be hygienic and clean - many people like to eat cold dishes. Cucumbers, tomatoes, bitter gourds, etc. should be washed and peeled when they are mixed cold. This is an effective way to prevent Helicobacter pylori from entering the body. Otherwise, the chance of infection may be greatly increased due to Helicobacter pylori being carried in food.

If you are infected with Helicobacter pylori, in addition to active treatment, you must also use serving chopsticks when eating with your family to prevent cross infection.

Tips:

Pay attention when feeding your baby

According to statistics, the Helicobacter pylori infection rate among children aged 7-12 in Shanghai is 36%. These children are likely to have been infected with Hp during infancy. Experts remind that if mothers or other elders are carriers of Hp, they should not use their own chopsticks to pick up food for their children, so as to avoid transmitting Helicobacter pylori to their children.