Helicobacter Pylori Infection Paper

Introduction

Helicobacter pylori infect the stomach. It is common in children. (Mayo clinic, 2015). This bacteria is a common cause of peptic ulcers. H. pylori may actually be present in more than half of the world’s population (Mayo clinic, 2015). Most people are unaware they have a H. pylori infection because they rarely get sick from it. If signs of a peptic ulcer are found, doctors will most likely test for an H. pyloric infection.

Most of the population will never have signs or symptoms of this infection, the reason why is unclear, but it is believed that some individuals may be born with a high resistance to the harmful effects of H. pylori (Mayo clinic, 2015). H. pylori were first discovered in the stomachs of patients with gastric

and stomach ulcers nearly twenty five years ago by Dr. Barry J. Marshall and Dr J. Robin Warren of Perth, Western Australia. (Helicobacter foundation, 2014). Helicobacter is a genus of bacteria formerly placed in the genus Campylobacter and including one (H.pylori) associated with gastritis and implicated as a causative agent of gastric and duodenal ulcers (Webster’s, 2006). Gastric and duodenal ulcers at one time were thought to be caused by spicy foods, stomach acid and stress.
In 1982, this view was dramatically altered; Dr. Robin Warren swallowed a liquid culture of H.pylori hoping to prove this bacterium causes peptic ulcers. Within weeks he was diagnosed with self-induced gastritis. This proved his hypothesis to be correct. In 1989, the new bacterium formerly called Campylobacter pylori was officially given a new genus due to its ability to take on a helix shape, thus becoming what we know today as Helicobacter (Tenglish, 2013).

Conclusion
In Pakistan Helicobacter pylori is on the rise because of the inability to properly diagnose and treat this bacterium, because H.pylori is not being treated they fear it may become a chronic disease thus leading to a rise of stomach cancer (Qasim, 2012). "Bacterial virulence factors, host genetic factors, and environmental factors contribute to the risk for developing gastric cancer, and further studies are necessary.” Seiji Shiota is a medical researcher at Oita University in Japan and Yoshio Yamaoka is a medical pathogenesis, they have discussed the eradication of H. pylori. They warn that practitioners need to proceed with caution when treating with antibiotics as a widespread solution, "if all infected persons are to be treated, we should consider the increase in frequency of antibiotic resistance and unexpected consequences such as esophageal adenocarcinoma, asthma and autoimmune disease." (Infection control today, 2010).