Children infected with HP bacteria: When should treatment?

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology Department - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. The doctor has nearly 10 years of experience as a resident and treating physician.

Helicobacter pylori infection is the leading cause of peptic ulcers in children, and can even lead to stomach cancer. However, not all cases of HP testing require treatment.

HP bacteria are very contagious, 3 main routes of infection of HP bacteria are:
Oral transmission: H.Pylori not only exists in the stomach lining of the patient, they are also found in water. foam, plaque in teeth. The habits of Vietnamese people when eating and drinking are eating from the same tray, using chopsticks to pick up food for each other, sharing a bowl of dipping sauce, etc. Therefore, the risk of HP infection is very high. Gastrointestinal tract infection: During endoscopy at medical facilities, if the cleaning of endoscopes is not guaranteed, HP bacteria can be transmitted from sick people to healthy people. Infection through the fecal-oral route: HP bacteria exist in the feces of an infected person, so it can be transmitted when going to the toilet without washing hands, or through other mediators such as insects (flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches). if they come into contact with the source of the disease, then attach themselves to the food. Children under 10 years old are the most susceptible to HP infection. The reason is due to the living environment, unhygienic food, adults have the habit of kissing children, feeding them with common bowls and chopsticks, and feeding them rice. Besides. An immature immune system is also a risk factor for HP infection in children.

The prevalence of HP infection is very high in the population, however, the majority of those infected have neither symptoms nor complications. This infection is generally silent, however, it often causes chronic stomach pain such as chronic gastritis or peptic ulcer.

Many parents are afraid that HP bacteria will cause ulcers and stomach cancer, so when the child is tested for HP infection, they immediately ask the doctor to eradicate this bacteria. However, it should be understood that, even after being treated to kill HP, the possibility of re-infection is still very high because children are not self-aware of hygiene when eating and drinking. Currently, if HP infection has no symptoms, there is no immediate need for treatment. When studying HP bacteria in depth, scientists found that, in some cases, it is not necessarily harmful at all. If there are no symptoms, the presence of HP will be like a symbiotic bacteria, sometimes bringing some effects to the human body.
According to the recommendations of experts, some of the following cases need to kill HP bacteria to avoid harm to health and life of each person:
Peptic ulcer: Peptic ulcer caused by HP bacteria ( because HP does not kill, the stomach ulcer, duodenal bulb may recur).

Functional dyspepsia. Thrombocytopenia bleeding of unknown etiology. Stomach cancer with surgery. Anemia, iron deficiency. Cases in the family who have stomach cancer: Father, mother, brother, sister. Atrophic inflammation of the gastric mucosa. HP testing and treatment should be examined, consulted and decided by a gastroenterologist to avoid unnecessary costs. Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of leading doctors, modern equipment and technology, but also stands out for its examination and consulting services. and comprehensive, professional medical treatment; civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space. Customers when choosing to perform tests here can be completely assured of the accuracy of test results.