Helicobacter

• What was Helicobacter pylori previously known as?

  Campylobacter pylori
• In what year was Helicobacter pylori first isolated in pure cultures from humans?

  1982
• What conditions is Helicobacter pylori associated with?

  Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastritis
• Who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005 for their work on Helicobacter pylori?

  Barry Marshall and Robin Warren
• What are the main species of Helicobacter found in humans and animals?

  • Humans: H. pylori, H. heilmannii, H. fennelliae, H. cinaedi
  • Animals:
  • Ferrets: H. mustelae
  • Cats and dogs: H. felis
  • Non-human primates: H. suis
• What is the size range of Helicobacter organisms?

  0.5 - 1.0 µm in width and 2.5 - 4.0 µm in length
• What type of bacteria is Helicobacter pylori classified as?

  Microaerophilic curved gram-negative rods
• How does Helicobacter pylori move?

  It is highly motile and moves in a corkscrew motion using multiple polar sheathed flagella
• What is a significant characteristic of Helicobacter pylori regarding urease production?

  It has high urease production
• Where does Helicobacter pylori primarily live?

  On the gastric mucosa
• What is the main reservoir for Helicobacter pylori?

  Humans
• How long has Helicobacter pylori been associated with human populations according to phylogeographic data?

  Over 50,000 years
• What is the primary mode of transmission for Helicobacter pylori?

  Faeco-oral transmission
• At what age do most individuals in developing countries acquire Helicobacter pylori?

  By age 10
• What allows Helicobacter pylori to survive in the acidic environment of the stomach?

  Its ability to survive in acidic environments and microaerophilism
• What is the role of urease activity in Helicobacter pylori's survival?

  It generates ammonium ions that buffer gastric acidity
• Where in the stomach does Helicobacter pylori typically affect the gastric mucosa?

  In the antrum or fundus
• Does Helicobacter pylori invade tissues?

  No, it does not invade tissues
• What are the likely causes of alterations in host tissue due to Helicobacter pylori?

  Extracellular bacterial products or cellular alterations induced by contact with the organism
• What are the common symptoms associated with Helicobacter pylori acquisition in adulthood?

  Upper gastrointestinal illness with nausea, upper GI pain, flatulence, and bad breath
• What follows the acquisition of Helicobacter pylori after weeks?

  Gastritis
• What is a prerequisite for ulceration related to Helicobacter pylori infection?

  Infection with Helicobacter pylori
• What happens to ulcers after the elimination of Helicobacter pylori?

  Healing of ulcers occurs without recurrence
• What are the complications associated with Helicobacter pylori infection?

  • Chronic diffuse superficial gastritis
  • Gastric/duodenal ulceration
  • Gastric adenocarcinoma
  • Gastric lymphoma
• What is the association of Helicobacter pylori with gastric adenocarcinoma?

  It is nearly always associated with gastric adenocarcinoma
• In which patients is Helicobacter pylori observed not to ingest NSAIDs?

  In patients with gastric adenocarcinoma
• What type of lymphomas is Helicobacter pylori associated with?

  MALT-type B cell lymphomas (MALTOMA)
• What are the laboratory diagnosis methods for Helicobacter pylori?

  • Invasive:
  • Direct visualization from biopsy (Gram, Giemsa, or acridine orange)
  • CLO test for rapid urease activity
  • Culture of biopsy specimen
  • Non-invasive:
  • Serologic analysis (serum IgG levels)
  • Urease breath test
  • Faecal antigen analysis
• What is the gold standard for laboratory diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori?

  Direct visualization of the organisms from biopsy specimen
• What is the incubation condition for culturing biopsy specimens of Helicobacter pylori?

  1. 5 days at 35-37 degrees Celsius in a moist 5% oxygen atmosphere
• What are the morphological characteristics of Helicobacter pylori observed on gram stain?

  Comma or S-shaped organisms
• What antibiotics is Helicobacter pylori susceptible to?

  Beta-lactam antibiotics, macrolides, tetracyclines, and nitroimidazoles
• What is the treatment regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection?

  Triple therapy with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors
• How long is the effective treatment duration for Helicobacter pylori infection?

  Seven to ten days
• What is a key preventive measure against Helicobacter pylori infection?

  Improved water and sanitation
• What social factor can help in the prevention of Helicobacter pylori infection?

  Improving social deprivation