Helicobacter pylori is a bacteria that lives in the lining of your stomach.h py lori It has been linked to stomach inflammation (gastritis) and peptic ulcers of the stomach, which are sores in the lining of your stomach or small intestine (duodenum).h py lori H. pylori infection is also a risk factor for certain types of stomach cancer.
About two-thirds of the world’s population is infected with h pylori, which is more common in developing countries.h py lori People who are traveling or living in these countries may be more at risk of acquiring h pylori than people who live and work in their home country.h py lori H. pylori can be spread through close contact, such as sharing food or eating in the same restaurant. People can also get h pylori by drinking untreated water or ingesting contaminated food.
h pylori is very delicate and needs to be cultured as soon as possible after sampling.h py lori If you have a peptic ulcer or are unsure if you have one, talk to your doctor about getting a sample of your stomach lining (biopsy) and sending it to the laboratory for testing for h pylori.h py lori Biopsies can be obtained by a flexible viewing tube called an endoscope or with a needle inserted through your mouth (endoscopic biopsy). The bacteria are found in the cells that line the stomach and duodenum. The bacterium gets into the stomach by entering through the mouth or swallowing. It then moves to the stomach, where it can grow in a protective mucus layer that surrounds the stomach’s cells.
The bacteria cause peptic ulcers by increasing acid production, interfering with the stomach’s normal defenses against acid, and producing toxins.h py lori Long-term infection with h pylori also increases the risk of stomach cancer.h py lori
Although it is not known for sure how h pylori causes stomach cancer, some researchers believe that it makes cells that line the stomach more likely to develop tumors by causing chronic inflammation.h py lori Other researchers think that h pylori may increase the risk of stomach cancer by triggering an inflammatory response that can cause mutations in cells that line the stomach.h py lori
The bacterium h pylori is a Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, microaerophilic organism that is motile by spiraling.h py lori Its genome contains a large number of genes, including the proteins CagA, VacA, OipA, and DupA, which control its ability to cause disease in humans.h py lori These proteins are thought to influence the way h pylori colonizes the stomach and how the infection affects cancer development in different parts of the world. In addition, a number of other genes in h pylori appear to contribute to the development of the bacteria’s virulent properties. These include the genes encoding for proteins that promote inflammation and cytokine secretion. The bacterium has been classified as a human carcinogen, and chronic infection with h pylori is associated with various gastroduodenal diseases, including gastric carcinoma and duodenal cancer. H pylori may also be associated with an increased risk of other malignancies, such as lymphoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and skin disorders.