ISSN:
1365-2036
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Although Helicobacter pylori gastritis, that is, H. pylori infection and its complications, is currently the focus of tremendous research activity, there is no gold standard test for its detection. Current methods of assessment of H. pylori infection are reviewed in this paper, and the diseases associated with the bacterium are discussed. Histological tests can indicate the presence of infection with H. pylori. Culture tests, however, are more specific but rely on the presence of viable bacteria, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can detect DNA from H. pylori. Indirect methods of detecting infection include urease tests, but these recognize only active bacteria. Serological tests are usually satisfactory screening methods but are not suitable for assessing treatment outcome. There are now many reports that associate diseases other than peptic ulcer disease with the presence of H. pylori infection. In 1994, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, sponsored by the World Health Organization, classified the bacterium as a group I carcinogen. Results of studies on patients with functional dyspepsia indicate that eradication of H. pylori gives a range of levels of symptom relief, from no relief to significant relief, with a geometric mean value indicating a positive effect on a sub-group of this category of patients. Other groups of patients with symptoms similar to functional dyspepsia and a significant risk for negative investigation are those with endoscopy negative reflux, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma or mild non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) lesions. Both MALT lymphoma and NSAID lesions are partly linked to H. pylori infection, while the possible correlation between reflux disease and H. pylori infection is controversial. In conclusion, H. pylori gastritis seems to be associated with a number of complications, some of which are serious. There are no reliable data showing any positive aspects of the infection. Eradication of H. pylori infection should therefore, in most cases, be regarded as an appropriate therapeutic strategy.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.1997.tb00791.x
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