Helicobacter pylori infection in Finland

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis worldwide and it is the most important single factor in peptic ulcer disease. Up to half of H. pylori infected individuals develop atrophic gastritis over years and decades. H. pylori infection has also been classified as a class I carcinogen in human gastric cancer. Most infections are obtained in childhood, in Finland mainly before the age of 7 years but the exact transmission routes are not known. The infection shows an age‐dependent pattern, the infection being rare among children but gradually becoming more prevalent among older age groups. As new infections are few in adults and the infection only rarely disappears without effective antimicrobial therapy, the occurrence of the infection in the old actually reflects the prevalence of the infection in their childhood. In developed countries, such as Finland, a rapid decline of H. pylori prevalence rate has been demonstrated. In order to speed up this natural decline of the infection, a unique population based ‘screen and treat’ project was started in Vammala, a semiurban south‐western community in Finland. In this survey, young inhabitants were offered diagnosis and treatment for H. pylori.     

长春地区慢性胃病患者幽门螺杆菌感染状况调查

目的通过对本地区慢性胃病患者幽门螺杆菌（H.pylori）感染状况调查,了解本地区流行病学特点,为进一步阐明其与慢性胃病发生发展的关系提供理论依据。方法采用ELISA方法测定血清H.pyloriIgG抗体及CagA抗体;采取胃粘膜活检组织进行快速尿素酶试验,调查H.pylori感染情况,分析其与各种疾病的关系。结果1180例慢性胃病患者H.pylori感染率为67.11%,复合性溃疡、十二指肠溃疡、胃溃疡及慢性萎缩性胃炎感染率分别为90.9%、84.57%、83.96%和80.24%。与慢性浅表性胃炎相比差异有显著性。消化性溃疡、慢性萎缩性胃炎、胃癌和胃息肉患者血清Hp-CagA抗体的阳性率明显高于慢性浅表性胃炎（P〈0.05）。结论本地区慢性胃病患者H.pylori感染率高与多数地区的普通人群,H.pylori感染者尤其是CagA阳性者,更易发生慢性萎缩性胃炎、消化性溃疡及胃癌。     

Strategies for peptic ulcer healing after 1 week proton pump inhibitor-based triple Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Japanese patients: differences of gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication therapy alone is insufficient to ensure healing of large ulcers with H. pylori-positive gastric ulcer (GU). The question of what is the optimum antiulcer treatment following H. pylori eradication therapy has not been fully elucidated. Furthermore, the ulcer healing effects of eradication therapy itself with H. pylori-positive duodenal ulcer (DU) have not been investigated. In GU study, the eradication therapy + proton pump inhibitor (PPI) group (group A) were administered eradication therapy followed by 7 weeks of a PPI, and the eradication therapy + gastroprotective drug (GP) group (group B) eradication therapy followed by 7 weeks of a GP. In DU study, the eradication therapy + PPI group (group C) were administered eradication therapy followed by 5 weeks of a PPI, and the eradication therapy only group (group D) was eradication therapy alone. In GU study, healing rates for ulcer of ≥15 mm in diameter were significant greater in the group A. In DU study, high healing rates were seen both the group C and D. In conclusion, a PPI could significantly heal GU than a GP after eradication therapy in GU. Meanwhile, the eradication alone is sufficient for DU.     

Role of Helicobacter pylori in cirrhotic patients with dyspepsia: a 13C-urea breath test study

The role ofHelicobacter pylori in dyspeptic, cirrhotic patients remains unclear. This prospective outpatient study, conducted to assess the relationship of gastroduodenal disease andH. pylori as determined by the (¹³C) urea breath test, enrolled 109 consecutive cirrhotic patients with dyspepsia. All patients underwent upper-gastrointestinal endoscopy, which revealed respective prevalences of peptic ulcer, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer of 41.3%, 23.9%, and 22.9%;H. pylori infection was found in 52.3%. The rate of peptic ulcer disease in theH. pylori-positive (45.6%) and -negative (36.5%) groups was not significantly different; neither was the prevalence ofH. pylori in patients with or without portal hypertensive gastropathy and with or without esophageal varices. The relationship between peptic ulcer disease andH. pylori in dyspeptic patients with cirrhosis appears to be weak. Likewise, no significant relationship was evident betweenH. pylori and portal hypertensive gastropathy or esophageal varices. This organism may not be a major pathogenetic factor in gastroduodenal diseases in dyspeptic patients with cirrhosis.     

Helicobacter pylori infection: diagnosis and treatment

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common infections worldwide. Eradication of this important pathogen would lead to virtual elimination of the second most common cancer worldwide – gastric cancer. A variety of accurate diagnostic tests are available but current therapeutic regimens are generally unsatisfactory, with failure rates of between 20 and 40%. Difficulty in curing the infection has led to a three-step approach: diagnosis, therapy and confirmation of cure. Better studies, including head-to-head comparison of different drugs, drug formulations, dosing intervals, dosing in relation to meals, and duration of therapy are needed. The high rates of reinfection and the lack of improvements in standards of living in developing countries makes the development of a vaccine a high priority.     

The prevalence and incidence of Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer disease and upper gastrointestinal bleeding throughout the world

Due to heightened awareness regarding testing for and eradication of infection, the prevalence and incidence of H pylori infection (and by extension the prevalence and incidence of peptic ulcer disease) appear to have declined in recent years. However, antimicrobial resistance is mounting and traditional clarithromycin- or metronidazole-containing triple therapies may no longer be highly effective at eradicating the infection. Combined bismuth- and metronidazole-containing quadruple therapy or sequential 4-drug therapy may be better choices for first-line treatment against this unique pathogen that is ideally suited to survive in the human stomach.     

Management of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is the cause of peptic ulcer, gastric cancer and gastric lymphoma. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection can be made using invasive and noninvasive tests. Invasive tests based on endoscopy, such as histology, are recommended when a gastric malignancy is suspected. Alternatively, noninvasive tests, such as the urea breath test and stool tests are useful for H. pylori diagnosis and follow-up. Triple therapy with either amoxicillin or metronidazole, clarithromycin and proton pump inhibitor given twice daily for 7–14 days is the recommended first-line treatment, after having checked the individual clarithromycin antimicrobial susceptibility. A triple therapy with levofloxacin, amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitor for 10–14 days should be used as second-line treatment, where the strains are susceptible to fluoroquinolone. Alternatively, bismuth-based quadruple therapy is recommended.     

Intrastrain Differences in Helicobacter pylori: A Key Question in Mucosal Damage?

Helicobacter pylori causes persistent infection and inflammation in the human stomach, yet only a small fraction of infected people develop Illness. An important question is why this diversity exists in infection outcome. In recent years, there has been evidence of substantial phenotypic as well as genotypic diversity of H. pylori. Three different phenotypes — production of vacuolating cytotoxin, presence of cagA, and ability for strong PMN activation — appear to be linked to one another and to the propensity for a H. pylori strain to cause peptic ulcer disease. Further investigation in this field may help to define which infected people bear the highest risk for serious clinical consequences, and ultimately to define optimal vaccine candidates and strategies.     

Time trends in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with peptic ulcer disease: a single-center retrospective study in Shanghai

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the recent trends in Helicobacter pylori infection associated with peptic ulcer disease in a large population in Shanghai.MethodsWe analyzed the medical records of all patients who had undergone upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGD) for uninvestigated dyspepsia at Ren Ji Hospital between 2013 and 2019 to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with peptic ulcers.ResultsPeptic ulcers were found in 40,385 of the 383,413 patients who underwent EGD during the study period. Over the 7-year study period, the annual prevalence of H. pylori among patients receiving EGD declined from 32.2% to 26.5%. H. pylori was present in 60% of ulcers and the incidence was higher (66.9%) in duodenal compared with gastric ulcers (48.5%). The proportion of H. pylori-associated gastric ulcers declined from 52.2% to 49.3% and that of H. pylori-positive duodenal ulcers declined from 70.0% to 63.9%.ConclusionThe prevalence of H. pylori-positive peptic ulcers, mainly duodenal ulcers, fell from 2013 to 2019. However, the proportion of non-H. pylori-associated peptic ulcer disease increased, especially in elderly people, possibly due to the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.     

New Options in Eradication of Helicobacter pylori

Better treatment options to eradicate Helicobacter pylori are needed, while we await a possible effective vaccine against the world's most common infection. The goals of therapy for H. pylori infection should be an effective and low-cost therapy with a low frequency of side-effects. The currently available eradication regimens are cumbersome, which can lead to a reduction of compliance and a lower efficacy. More recent studies have shown, however, that the duration of antimicrobial treatment may be shortened, which also makes the treatment more cost-effective and more tolerable. At this point it seems relevant to treat H. pylori infection first with some antisecretory modification of triple therapy, while the therapeutic failures can be treated with other more relevant and suitable alternatives. Metronidazole is still a cornerstone of triple therapy and the more expensive clarithromycin is an alternative second-line treatment. Time will show the effectiveness and suitability of the latest topical 1-day treatments.     

Inverse time trends of peptic ulcer and reflux esophagitis show significant association with reduced prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection

Abstract

Introduction

Recent prevalence and trends of gastric/duodenal ulcer (GU/DU) and reflux esophagitis (RE) are inadequate.     

Helicobacter pylori infection rate in patients with nontuberculous mycobacteriosis who are on longterm combination chemotherapy of clarithromycin and rifampicin

Clarithromycin resistance in Helicobacter pylori has increased the incidence of eradication failure. Clarithromycin is a key drug in the current treatment regimens for H. pylori infection, and it is also used for nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM). The rate of H. pylori infection in 15 patients with NTM who were on longterm clarithromycin, rifampicin, and other drug therapy wasexamined, using the [¹³C] urea breath test. H. pylori was detected in 5 of the 15 patients (33.3%), whichwas significantly lower than the prevalence of H. pyloriin subjects who had routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Japan (P = 0.0006). Thus, H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin is suggested to be low in patients with longterm administration, and the possibility exists of a combination of clarithromycin and rifampicin as a second-line therapy for the eradiation of H. pylori.     

IL-10与消化性溃疡患者幽门螺杆菌感染的关系

目的研究消化性溃疡患者幽门螺杆菌(Helicobacter pylori,Hp)感染与其血清白细胞介素10(IL-10)之间的关系。方法选取Hp阳性消化性溃疡患者114例、Hp阴性消化性溃疡患者76例,采用ELISA法分别测定其血清IL-10水平。结果消化性溃疡患者中Hp阳性组血清IL-10水平明显高于阴性组。结论Hp阳性消化性溃疡患者血清IL-10水平明显升高。     

小儿幽门螺杆菌感染与慢性胃炎

目的 :研究幽门螺杆菌 (Helicobacterpylori,Hp)感染与小儿不同类型慢性胃炎之间的关系。 方法 :对我院 2 0 0 0年—2 0 0 2年 14 0 4例具有上消化道症状 ,经胃镜检查确诊为慢性胃炎的患儿进行胃黏膜活检 ,分别行病理组织学检查及快速尿素酶试验、改良Giemsa染色找Hp ,同时患儿行血清抗HpIgG检测和 (或 ) 13 碳 尿素呼气试验 (13 C UBT)和 (或 )粪幽门螺杆菌抗原检测 (Helicobacterpyloristoolantigen ,HpSA)。 结果 :14 0 4例慢性胃炎患儿中 ,Hp感染率为 4 5 .3%。各种不同类型慢性胃炎中 ,以胃镜下结节性胃炎和消化性溃疡伴慢性胃炎的患儿Hp感染率为最高 ,分别为 71.2 %和 6 8.0 % ,明显高于其他胃炎组 (P <0 .0 1)。胃黏膜病理组织学改变 ,Hp感染组引起的黏膜炎症程度较重 ,淋巴滤泡形成比例明显较对照组高 (P <0 .0 1)。结论 :小儿时期Hp感染率已较高 ,随年龄增长Hp感染率增高。并且与小儿胃十二指肠疾病关系密切 ,其中与胃镜下结节性胃炎和消化性溃疡伴慢性胃炎最为密切。胃黏膜组织炎症程度越重 ,Hp感染阳性率越高。     

Effect of Helicobacter pylori on DNA synthesis of human epithelial cells

The effect of Helicobacter pylori on DNA synthesis of human cultured cells was examined. Viable H. pylori strains were able to stimulate DNA synthesis by gastric cancer MKN45 cells (eight of eight strains) and laryngeal cancer HEp-2 cells (seven of eight strains) but not by lung cancer A549 cells or fetal intestine Int407 cells. In contrast, neither heat-killed H. pylori nor culture supernatants of H. pylori other than SS-1 strain affected DNA synthesis of MKN45 and HEp-2 cells. In contrast, water extracts of H. pylori strains inhibited DNA synthesis. Soluble outer membrane protein (OMP) of the SS-1 strain stimulated DNA synthesis of MKN45 cells but produced no alteration in cell cycle or apoptosis induction of MKN45 cells. To identify those proteins in the soluble OMP that were capable of stimulating DNA synthesis, the OMP was fractionated by fast performance liquid chromatography with a Mono Q column. The results suggest that two proteins with molecular weights of 18 and 45 kDa, respectively, are associated with stimulation of DNA synthesis by MKN45 cells.     

In vitro exposure to macrolide antibiotics in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> strains isolated from children

Clarithromycin resistance of Helicobacter pylori is a serious problem in eradication therapy. We investigated whether the use of maclorides (clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin) induces clarithromycin resistance in the organism. Twenty H. pylori strains were isolated from pediatric patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of each macrolide antibiotic were determined by the Etest. Among these, 17 strains susceptible to macrolide antibiotics were used for the in vitro induction of drug resistance. In each of these 17 strains of H. pylori, 30-day exposure to clarithromycin in experiments for in vitro induction did not change the MIC of any antibiotic, nor did it induce either the A2143G or the A2144G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene. These results suggest that the use of macrolide antibiotics does not induce clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori by 23S rRNA gene mutation.     

胆汁反流和幽门螺杆菌感染在胆汁反流性胃炎和消化性溃疡发病中的作用

目的探讨胆汁反流和幽门螺杆菌感染在胆汁反流性胃炎和消化性溃疡发病中的作用。方法采用病理组织学检查和快速尿素酶试验对76例胆汁反流性胃炎及22例兼有胆汁反流性胃炎和消化性溃疡的患者行幽门螺杆菌检测,并与29例消化性溃疡患者作对照。结果胆汁反流性胃炎组幽门螺杆菌阳性率为31.6%(24/76例),兼有胆汁反流性胃炎和消化性溃疡组幽门螺杆菌阳性率为59.0%(13/22例),消化性溃疡组幽门螺杆菌阳性率为72.4%(21/29例),前二组比较,差异有显著意义(P<0.05),后二组比较,差异无显著意义(P>0.05)。结论胆汁反流在胆汁反流性胃炎的发病中起主要作用,幽门螺杆菌感染在消化性溃疡的发病中起主要作用。胆汁反流和幽门螺杆菌感染在胆汁反流性胃炎和消化性溃疡的共同发病中互不明显影响,幽门螺杆菌感染所起的作用可能更大一些。     

In vitro induction of resistance to metronidazole, and analysis of mutations in rdxA and frxA genes from Helicobacter pylori isolates

In clinical Helicobacter pylori isolates, metronidazole resistance has been associated with mutations in the rdxA and frxA genes. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the rdxA and frxA genes after the in vitro induction of metronidazole resistance. A total of five suscep-tible H. pylori isolates were initially exposed to different subinhibitory metronidazole concentrations to induce in vitro resistance to metronidazole. Susceptible and resistant strains after the in vitro induction of resistance were examined to evaluate mutations of the rdxA and frxA genes by sequence analysis. After the in vitro induction of resistance, analysis revealed that two and four susceptible strains developed resistance when cultured with 0.3µg/ml and 0.6µg/ml of metronidazole, respectively. Before and after the induction of resistance, none of the susceptible strains that developed low and moderate levels of resistance presented any mutation in either of the evaluated genes, whereas strains with high-level metronidazole resistance contained a simple mutation of the frxA gene, but no specific changes in the rdxA gene. Strains with moderate-level resistance contained both single and multiple mutations of rdxA and frxA, respectively, and the low-level-metronidazole-resistant strain contained a single mutation in the frxA gene, without any significant change in the rdxA gene. In this study, the strains that developed resistance were mainly associated with mutations of the frxA gene, suggesting the possibility that inactivation of this gene could originate metronidazole resistance. The results after the in vitro induction of resistance to metronidazole suggested the presence of additional metronidazole resistance mechanisms, other than mutations of the rdxA and/or frxA genes.     

Primary resistance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> isolated in children from Iran

Helicobacter pylori-associated infection is extre-mely common in Iran, as in other developing countries, but few data exist on the susceptibility of H. pylori to antimicrobials commonly used in the eradication schedules in this country. This study was performed to determine the resistance rate to six antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of H. pylori infection in dyspeptic Iranian children and to recommend an updated anti-H. pylori treatment regimen to use in children. All H. pylori isolated from children who were undergoing gastroscopy were prospectively collected and subcultured to yield their susceptibility to six antimicrobial agents, by E test and disk diffusion methods. Demographic data and presenting symptoms were also collected. A prospective study was carried out from January 2003 to January 2005 with 100 strains of H. pylori isolated from children (40 girls and 60 boys; age range, 1.5 to 16 years [mean, 9.22 ± 3.25 years]); the strains had been successfully subcultured to yield antimicrobial sensitivity. Overall the H. pylori resistance rate was 95% to metronidazole, 59% to amoxicillin, 16% to clarithromycin, 9% to furazolidone, 7% to ciprofloxacin, and 5% to tetracycline. The most common presenting symptom was abdominal pain. There were no statistically significant differences in antimicrobial resistance rates related to age, sex, or clinical presentation. In the Iranian children, the prevalence of H. pylori resistance was very high to metronidazole and amoxicillin, moderate to clarithromycin, and low to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline.