The relationship between peptic ulcer disease and H

Stomach ulcers are a fairly common disease in Vietnamese people. There are many causes of the disease, including the existence of Helicobacter Pylori (HP) in the gastric mucosa - duodenum.

Stomach ulcer is a common disease, people with stomach ulcers often have symptoms of pain in the epigastrium (above the navel), the pain can be dull or intense. In addition, the patient also has some symptoms such as heartburn, belching, nausea and vomiting, indigestion, constipation, ...

One of the causes of peptic ulcers is HP bacteria. In addition, there are a number of factors that increase the risk of disease such as: Using alcohol, tobacco; abuse of pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs; eat a lot of spicy, sour foods; Unscientific lifestyle, stress,... Most cases of stomach ulcers caused by HP bacteria can be effectively treated with antibiotics.
Helicobacter Pylori is a bacterium that lives in the human stomach, can survive in the environment of stomach acid. This type of bacteria secretes an enzyme called Urease that helps neutralize the acidity in the stomach. Helicobacter pylori can live and grow in the mucous layer on the surface of the stomach lining. It can cause chronic gastritis, which often develops while not causing any prominent symptoms.

Besides, Helicobacter Pylori bacteria can also cause other lesions such as stomach and duodenal ulcers. In rare cases the disease can progress to stomach cancer , lymphoma or ulcers that cause perforation of the stomach . Lesions in the stomach progress slowly over many years, sometimes up to 30 years from the time symptoms first appear. In addition, HP infection is also associated with diseases such as iron-deficiency anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or increased risk of allergies,...

Helicobacter Pylori is the main cause of most stomach ulcers because it can be transmitted through many different ways. The ways of infection of stomach HP are:
Oral - oral: HP bacteria are abundant in saliva, tartar, and oral cavity of patients. Therefore, they can be transmitted from one person to another through sharing dishes, kissing directly, and feeding food to children. Fecal-oral route: Helicobacter pylori is eliminated through the feces of the patient, so it will be infected through the patient's hands (if they do not wash their hands thoroughly after going to the toilet) or infection through intermediate animals such as flies, cockroaches, rats,... Gastrointestinal tract - mouth: People with H.P. bacteria in the stomach when having reflux or belching will push the bacteria to the mouth along with gastric juice. When eating, drinking with sick people or when having dental exams but not thoroughly sterilized, HP bacteria are easily transmitted to healthy people. Gastrointestinal tract - stomach: Infection during the patient's gastroscopy in unreputable medical facilities. During gastroscopy, if the transducer is not properly sterilized, H.P. bacteria can be transmitted from patient to healthy person.

Test methods to detect HP bacteria:
P invasive method: The patient will be taken a biopsy tissue sample through gastroduodenal endoscopy to check by rapid urea test, histopathology, or culture. transplant. This upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is often necessary for patients with alarming symptoms (weight loss, anemia, anorexia,...). Non-invasive method: The patient does not need a gastroduodenal endoscopy, the HP detection is done by stool test or breath test. The blood test for antibodies against HP bacteria, however, is not very accurate, so it is not recommended to be used to diagnose HP infection.

Vietnam Gastroenterology Society recommends:
Treatment to eradicate HP in patients infected with H.P in the following cases: peptic ulcer, functional dyspepsia, gastric cancer treated endoscopically or surgically , iron deficiency anemia, thrombocytopenia bleeding. Prophylactic treatment of gastric cancer for people infected with H.P. in the following cases: Having a family history of stomach cancer, polypoid gastric tumor, atrophic gastritis, long-term use of NSAIDs, aspirin or The desire to eradicate H.P.

To prevent HP infection that causes stomach ulcers, families need to pay attention to strictly follow the following instructions:
Do not share eating utensils in the family such as sharing sauce bowls, limit picking up food for each other. Be careful when eating at roadside restaurants because eating utensils are often not cleaned properly. Should eliminate flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, mice; keep the dishes and chopsticks clean, soak the family eating utensils in boiling water. Do not kiss children, feed them food. Do not mix baby food with your chopsticks. Pets such as dogs and cats are also sources of Helicobacter Pylori infection, so you need to keep your pet clean. Limit eating raw foods such as raw vegetables, salads or fermented foods such as shrimp paste, shrimp paste because these foods are often not clean, easy to cause gastrointestinal diseases, including HP infection. Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of stomach ulcers. Therefore, if we want to prevent the disease effectively, we need to control the way this bacteria infects.