A little bit of nausea or feeling a little unwell in the stomach? Every has these kind of symptoms sometimes. However, if these symptoms occur on a regular basis, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori may be the reason. It nests in the gastric mucosa and irritates it. As a result, diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcers can occur.

What is Helicobacter pylori and what are the symptoms?

Helicobacter pylori is a rod-shaped bacterium. It passes through the mouth into the body and into the stomach, where it colonizes the gastric mucosa.

It causes symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, flatulence or stomach ache. Unlike most other bacteria, it can survive the acidic environment in the human stomach

What long term consequences can come from a H pylori infection?

The bacteria can be the cause of various diseases in the gastrointestinal area:

Chronic gastritis: 80 percent of all chronic gastritis are bacterial and have mostly developed from a Helicobacter pylori infection.

Gastric and duodenal ulcers: About 75 percent of all gastric ulcers and almost all duodenal ulcers are due to infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Gastric cancer: Changes in the gastric mucosa can lead to the development of gastric cancer. Colonization with Helicobacter pylori is therefore a risk factor for the development of this type of cancer.

How is Helicobacter pylori detected?

There are several ways to detect Helicobacter pylori. The diagnosis is usually done by a gastroscopy with removal of a tissue sample from the gastric mucosa. But a simple stool examination can determine the bacterium just as reliably.

In a stool examination, certain antigens in the stool can be detected, which provide evidence of an infection with this germ. The test belongs to the gold standard of Helicobacter pylori diagnostics.

What can I do against an infection with H Pylori?