While the serving of individual dishes has come back to people's attention, one kind of bacteria has also been mentioned more, that is, "Helicobacter pylori". Helicobacter pylori (infection) is in the list of a class of carcinogens, and may even cause gastric cancer. Today we will learn more about it.
What is Helicobacter pylori?
Helicobacter pylori, referred to as Hp, is a micro-aerobic gram-negative bacterium parasitic in the human digestive tract. It is spiral or S-shaped and has flagella, so it is called Helicobacter pylori.
The environment in the human stomach is strongly acidic, most bacteria cannot survive, and the mucus secreted by the gastric mucosa can form a protective mucus layer to protect the gastric mucosa from damage. However, Helicobacter pylori is an "alternative". Its special movement structure allows it to reach the gastric mucosa through the mucus layer on the surface of the injured gastric mucosa and secrete a series of enzymes to reduce the secretion of gastric acid to improve its living environment. After the transformation of the surrounding environment, Helicobacter pylori finally survived comfortably in the stomach.
Is Helicobacter pylori infectious?
The answer is: yes. The main routes of transmission of Helicobacter pylori are: mouth to mouth transmission, such as sharing tableware and water cups; Or fece-mouth, that is, spread with the patient's feces. Therefore, if people do not use tableware or chopsticks separately when having dinner together, they may be infected with Helicobacter pylori through oral transmission. Not only that, oral feeding, kissing, sneezing, etc. may infect and spread Helicobacter pylori.
What are the symptoms after infection with Helicobacter pylori?
It varies from person to person. Some people have symptoms and some people have no symptoms. The common symptom is acid regurgitation and belching. Some people feel "stomachache", which is actually stomach discomfort.
In addition, some infected people will have bad breath, burping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms.
Can Helicobacter pylori cause gastric cancer?
At present, Hp infection is the most clear risk factor for gastric cancer, but there is no need to panic, because although the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori is relatively high, only about 1% of the infected people can actually develop gastric cancer, and this 1% mainly occurs in Hp infected people with ulcerative diseases.
However, this does not mean that we can ignore it. Helicobacter pylori is also closely related to liver diseases, such as viral liver disease, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and even liver cancer. Therefore, we should not take Helicobacter pylori lightly.
What form of screening does Hp infection pass?
At present, the methods for detecting Helicobacter pylori are divided into two categories:
One type is non-invasive examination, and the examination without gastroscope is called non-invasive examination, such as respiratory test, rapid urease test, blood antibody test, etc.
The other is invasive examination, that is, taking biopsy samples through gastroscope, and then carrying out helicobacter pylori examination.
Do all infected people need sterilization treatment?
In fact, not all Hp positive patients need sterilization treatment. At present, there are mainly the following situations that need sterilization: patients with gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer in the past or at present; Suffering from gastric cancer and after operation; Patients with gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma; Family history of gastric cancer (within 3 generations); Atrophic gastritis; People with dyspepsia need radical treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
If the infected person has no symptoms, treatment is usually not required. Children under the age of 14, and elderly people over 70, if they have no symptoms, can temporarily not undergo eradication treatment.
Will it recur after eradication?
After successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori in adults, the probability of reinfection is low. The re-infection rate of children after infection eradication may be higher.
Can eating garlic kill Helicobacter pylori?
This is an incorrect statement. So far, there is no scientific basis to prove that garlic can kill Helicobacter pylori.
How to avoid infection with Hp?
Wash hands before and after meals, eat cooked food, eat less irritating food, divide meals or use public chopsticks, avoid mouth-to-mouth service for children, and change teeth frequently, all of which are conducive to reducing the risk of Hp infection.
