cording to estimates, today around half of the world’s population are infected with Helicobacter pylori, although not every infection produces symptoms. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori (“H. pylori”) causes conditions such as gastritis and stomach ulcers. There is as yet no immunization available against the infection, which occurs in both children and adults. However, use of the appropriate medication (such as antibiotics) can eliminate the bacterium.

General information:
The stomach lining and duodenum are both protected against stomach acid by a protective coating. If this protective function is disturbed in any way, the mucous membrane of the stomach can be damaged, leading to ulcers. This typically happens due to H. pylori infection, which also
increases the risk of developing stomach cancer.

In most cases, H. pylori infection can be treated very successfully using a combination of antibiotics and antacids. Once the bacteria have been eliminated, the gastritis is generally cured.

PLEASE NOTE:
If you have already been infected with H. pylori in the past and the infection was eliminated using antibiotics, this test may yield a positive reading even more than one year following treatment, although the infection is no longer present.