HELICOBACTER

PYLORI

12-2

By: Fernando Marchena, Sadella

Justavino

Etiological agent

H. pylori is the causative agent of human

chronic gastritis, a condition that often
leads to gastrointestinal ulcers and
cancer.

Helicobacter Pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral shaped

bacterium that lives in the stomach and
duodenum (section of intestine just
below stomach). It has a unique way of
adapting in the harsh environment of the
stomach.

Transmission

The exact route of transmission is not

known. Person-to-person transmission
by either the oral-oral orfecal-oral
routeis the most likely. Consistent with
these transmission routes, the bacteria
have been isolated
fromfeces,salivaanddental plaqueof
some infected people. Findings suggest
that H. pylori is more easily transmitted
via gastric mucus than via saliva.

Clinical Signs

Most common: burning pain in the

abdomen, heartburn, indigestion.
Less common: vomiting, nausea, loss of
appetite, weight loss, bloody stools, and
anemia

Geographical Distribution

Worldwide Statistics

Roughly 2/3 of the worlds population is

infected withH. pylori, however many
never suffer from symptoms. People in
developing countries are more at risk for
infection than people from developed
countries. Roughly 1% of the adult
population from developed countries will
be infected a year.

Vector

Houseflies can carry viableH. pylorion

their bodies, in their intestinal tracts,
and in excreta.
Humans and animals, including nonhuman primates, pigs, cattle, dogs, cats,
rodents, birds

Panama Statistics

Bibliography

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Helicobacter

pyloriand Peptic Ulcer Disease..
http://www.cdc.gov/ulcer/consumer.htm .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Key to
Curehttp://www.cdc.gov/ulcer/keytocure.htm .
Blaser, Martin J., Perez-perez, Guillermo I.
CampylobacterandHelicobacter. 2001.
http://www.gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ch023.htm .
Kelleher, Dermot. Helicobacter pylori: camouflage and
stealth. 2000.
http://www.irishscientist.ie/2000/contents.asp?contentxml
=037Bs.xml&contentxsl=insight3.xsl
.
MicrobeWiki. Helicobacter.