Helicobacter Pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infection is a disease caused by Helicobacter pylori, which is a bacterium that can live in the stomach. This infection can occur when bacteria attack as well as damage the stomach wall.

Under normal conditions, the stomach will secrete acid to kill bacteria that enter the digestive tract along with food. However, Helicobacter pylori can live in acid, so stomach acid becomes ineffective in killing these bacteria.

Helicobacter pylori infection usually does not cause significant symptoms. However, if it occurs continuously, Helicobacter pylori infection can cause gastrointestinal diseases , such as gastritis (acute ulcer or chronic ulcer) peptic ulcer , and ulcer duodenum.

Causes of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori infection is caused by the presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach. This bacterium can be spread by:

Oral or saliva contact between the sufferer and a healthy person
Fecal-oral, that is, through the patient's feces that are not cleaned properly
Consumption of water or food contaminated with bacteria

Risk factors for Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infection can occur in anyone. However, a person will be more easily infected with Helicobacter pylori if:

Living in an environment with poor sanitation
Living in densely populated settlements
Consuming drinking water that is not cooked thoroughly
Sharing a place to live with people with Helicobacter pylori infection

In developing countries, Helicobacter pylori infection is more susceptible to occur in children, while in developed countries , it is more susceptible to occur in adults.

Symptoms of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori infections that have not caused complications generally do not cause specific symptoms. Symptoms usually only appear when the infection has already caused a wound or ulcer in the gastrointestinal tract. These symptoms include:

Abdominal pain, especially on an empty stomach or at night
Flatulence
Nausea and vomiting
Fever
Excessive saltpeter
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Bloody or dark-colored stools

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you feel any of the above symptoms. This intends to ensure the condition while preventing Helicobacter pylori infection from causing more serious complaints and is not transmitted to others.

See a doctor immediately if you feel symptoms such as severe abdominal pain that does not go away, bloody or dark-colored stools, vomiting blood, or difficulty swallowing food or drinks.

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori Infection

To diagnose Helicobacter pylori infection, the doctor will first conduct questions and answers about the symptoms felt, medical history, as well as medications that the patient is or has taken.

After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination by pressing on the patient's abdomen to find out whether there is pain or swelling in the abdomen which can be a sign of Helicobacter pylori infection.

In order to make the diagnosis more accurate, the doctor can also perform the following supporting examinations:

Blood test, to detect the presence of specific antibodies of Helicobacter pylori in the blood
Urea breath test, to determine the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the body
Stool examination, to detect the presence or absence of blood in the stool
Endoscopy, to visually check for signs of Helicobacter pylori infection in the digestive tract using an endoscope, which is a thin long hose-shaped device equipped with a camera on Ends

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Treatment is generally carried out when the infection has caused symptoms that interfere with activity. In addition, treatment is also carried out on patients who are at risk of developing gastric cancer, gastric ulcer , or duodenal ulcer. The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and overcome the infection.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection is generally done by giving a combination of two or more types of antibiotics and drugs that can lower stomach acid. The following are the types of drugs that can be used to treat Helicobacter pylori infection:

Proton pump inhibitor drugs, such as, esomeprazole, rabeprazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole , to decrease stomach acid production
Antibiotic drugs, such as amoxicillin, metronidazole, clarithromycin, and tetracyclin, to kill Helicobacter pylori bacteria found in the digestive tract
Histamine-2 inhibitor drugs (H2 blockers), such as cimetidine and ranitidine, to lower stomach acid production
Antidiarrheal drugs, such as subsalicylic bismuth, to prevent the ulcer from getting worse by protecting the injured lining of the stomach from stomach acid

To speed up healing and prevent the condition from worsening, patients are advised to avoid foods that may hinder healing, such as spicy and acidic foods. In addition, patients are also recommended not to consume alcoholic beverages and not to smoke.

The doctor will ask the patient to have a routine examination to find out the response of the treatment and the progression of the disease. Routine examinations carried out are fecal examinations and urea breath tests.