Helicobacter infection: symptoms and treatment

To date, the bacteria Helicobacter act as one of the most common, as well as harmful microorganisms after the herpes virus. It is believed that more than 50% of people on the planet Earth are infected with them. It is important to know how the bacterium Helicobacter symptoms look, in order to be able to start treatment on time, and therefore to prevent the occurrence of more significant health problems.

What is a Helicobacter pylori bacterium, what is its danger

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium found in patients with various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. If we talk about the name of a harmful microorganism, then it is chosen so not by accident. One of its parts, "pylori" means the main habitat of the bacterium - that is, the pyloric section of the stomach, the second part, "helico", indicates its shape( it may be helical or spiral).

Until recently, doctors were sure that in nature there can not exist a microorganism that could survive in the hydrochloric and acidic environment of the stomach. Helicobacter bacterium was discovered in 1979, the Australian scientist Robin Warren. Together with his scientific colleague Dr. Barry Marshall, the pioneers have grown this bacterium in a laboratory. At that time, scientists did not even guess that this microorganism provokes the appearance of stomach ulcers, gastritis and many other gastrointestinal pathologies, and not at all frequent stresses or malnutrition, as was previously thought.

Wishing to confirm the correctness of his theory, Barry Marshall decided on a desperate experiment - drank the contents of the Petri dish, in which the Helicobacter bacteria were grown. The results were not long in coming - after a couple of days the scientist was diagnosed with a gastritis, which was managed by a two-week reception of the drug metronidazole.

In 2005, the authors of this discovery were nominated for the Nobel Prize, which they deservedly received. The whole world has discovered a terrible truth - it Helicobacter pylori in most cases leads to the development of stomach ulcers and gastritis, with all the consequences and accompanying pathologies.

The chain reaction triggered by the Helicobacter bacterium has a truly frightening appearance:

First a person becomes infected with Helicobacter pylori = & gt;Then, as a result of the action of the microorganism, inflammatory processes occur( ulcer, gastritis and others) = & gt;Appears atrophy = & gt;Metaplasia is developing = & gt;In completely neglected cases, the appearance of oncology is not ruled out.

It is because of this that it is important to identify the presence of this microorganism as soon as possible and immediately start treatment.

Features of the bacteria

They are responsible for the impressive "vitality" helikobakter.

The first feature - the bacterium is able to withstand a very acidic stomach environment. The bulk of bacteria and viruses die in such a high acidity. Helicobacter pylori adapts itself to increased acidity through the use of two mechanisms:

1. Once the bacterium enters the stomach, it begins to move with its flagella and takes cover in the mucus that covers the walls of the stomach, and also protects the mucosal cells from excess acidity - that is, "chooses "the safest zone.
2. Helicobacter also activates the secretion of protective secretion of ammonia, which neutralizes the acidic environment of the stomach. Due to this, the bacterium is attached to the walls of the stomach and remains there for a long time( many decades), while staying in the most comfortable and safe conditions.

The second feature is helikobakter, as it was already indicated, is the main provoker of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In the process of its reproduction, the bacterium begins to destroy the cells of the stomach. And the harmful substances that release Helicobacter, provoke chronic inflammation and gastritis. Due to the weakening of the mucous membrane of the duodenum and stomach, multiple ulcers and erosions occur, and the risks of oncology are significantly increased. To date, scientists are confident that Helicobacter is the main cause of stomach cancer.

You can get rid of the infection by going through a course of treatment with antibacterial medications that regulate the level of stomach acidity. Therapy should be appointed exclusively by the gastroenterologist, after passing all the necessary studies.

For what reasons does this pathology arise

To protect yourself is important to know how the bacteria Helicobacter are transmitted.

Infecting a dangerous microorganism can be through contaminated food or water, in contact with an infected person. In some cases, it is enough simply to eat dirty fruits or vegetables to infect Helicobacter, do not wash your hands before eating or take advantage of someone else's dishes.

In addition, harmful microorganisms can be transmitted through sputum secreted by coughing or saliva. An important feature - a bacterium can not exist in the air. Also, scientists believe that Helicobacter pylori is a family disease, because the results of recent studies show that the presence of a microorganism at least one of the family members increases the chances of finding a pathology among the rest of its representatives by 95%.

As the microorganism

shows up. After Helicobacter pylori enters the stomach, it begins to actively release the products of its vital activity, thus damaging the gastric epithelium. The bacterium Helicobacter symptoms differ depending on the form of the disease:

1. Latent form .At the most part of patients at this stage the microorganism does not provoke the appearance of unpleasant symptoms, especially if a person has a sufficiently stable immune system. Helikobakter acquires an inactive form, and then activates under favorable conditions for this. In nature, there are harmful strains that affect the gastric mucosa to varying degrees. Even in the case of asymptomatic bacterial carriage, there are functional disorders not only in the stomach, but also in the pancreas. With prolonged( more than 10 years) stay of the microorganism in the stomach, severe consequences develop that can develop into an oncology.
2. Acute gastritis - characterized by the appearance of pain in the epigastric region, vomiting. It is inclined to move into a chronic form.
3. Chronic gastritis .It is found in 50% of the population on our planet, chronic gastritis is the main manifestation of helicobacteriosis. The patient complains of the periodic occurrence of pain in the stomach, nausea, a feeling of overcrowding, heartburn, bleed gums, a bad taste in the mouth, a characteristic eructation.
4. Chronic gastroduodenitis .In this case, the duodenum is already involved in the pathological process. Symptomatics is very similar to the manifestations of gastritis. In addition, there may be a disorder of stool( diarrhea or constipation), a decrease or a complete loss of appetite. Changes are determined by carrying out endoscopy, can be mild, moderate or severe.
5. Peptic ulcer - to its development lead various factors( among them the use of alcoholic beverages, smoking, stresses).Erosions and ulcers occur with lesions of deeper layers of the walls of the stomach. Symptoms characteristic of this disease are diverse: there are pain in the abdomen, usually after eating;also characterized by a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region;there is nausea, heartburn, belching and vomiting.

If we consider the extragastric manifestations of the microorganism, here are especially notable Helicobacter and acne. As a rule, these are rosacea that appear on the face. Scientists have proved that Helicobacter pylori often plays the role of a trigger mechanism in the development of atopic dermatitis in adults and children. Other skin pathologies( pruritus, psoriasis, erythroderma, lichen planus) may also be associated with the presence of this bacterium in the body, but reliable information proving such a link and explaining the pathogenetic reaction mechanism is lacking.

Helicobacter: diagnostics

To date, there are several techniques to confirm the presence of bacteria in the body. Previously, Helicobacter was diagnosed exclusively with endoscopy, using a stomach biopsy. Now there are non-invasive tests, through blood, feces or breathing. But patients who complain of pain in the stomach, shown endoscopy, because this method allows you to assess the state of the stomach and identify ulcers, gastritis or swelling.

So in most cases, the process of Helicobacter diagnosis is carried out with the help of endoscopy, biopsy and urease test. Non-invasive tests are usually used after the completion of therapy to confirm the removal of bacteria.

Patients younger than 55 years of age complain of pain in the stomach, in the absence of other symptoms indicative of active ulcers or swelling( anemia, bleeding, recurrent vomiting, rapid weight loss, family history of gastrointestinal cancer), non-invasive tests.

After the appropriate diagnosis is selected treatment, if the test results are positive. Endoscopy is prescribed only in those cases when there is no visible result from therapy.

Helicobacter bacterium: treatment of pathology

Helicobacter treatment is the most important item in our article, as it is timely treatment that allows to eliminate the disease in the early stages, without waiting for the development of possible complications.

Physicians develop a modern therapy for pathologies associated with the Helicobacter bacterium, taking into account the severity of the disease, the pathological process phase, and various etiological factors. Eliminate the infection can only be through comprehensive, eradication treatment with antibacterial drugs.

Eradication means the complete destruction of Helicobacter bacteria in any form that promotes persistent remission. The most effective combination is the combination of Clarithromycin, Amoxicillin and Rabeprazole. This is the scheme of the 1st line, which includes three components.

If unsatisfactory results, a 4-component scheme of the 2nd line consisting of Metranidazole, Rabeprazole, Tetracycline and Wismus Subsalicylate is prescribed. The duration of treatment should not exceed 2 weeks.

Together with eradikatsionnoy therapy take probiotic drugs( the most popular - Bifiform and Lineks).They reduce the likelihood of adverse reactions and increase the effectiveness of treatment.

The bacterium Helicobacter treatment of results depends on the specific form of the pathology, the right therapy, and on the sensitivity of the microorganism to antibiotics. In most cases, the use of antibacterial drugs with ulcers or acute gastritis contributes to complete recovery without any consequences for the body.

Treatment of chronic gastritis, which is accompanied by atrophic changes, is a more complicated process. It is impossible to restore atrophied sites, but really reduce the risk of their degeneration into oncology.

Therapy with the help of folk remedies

To maximally effectively get rid of this pathology, besides dietary treatment, you must follow a diet and use effective traditional medicine, normalizing acidity of gastric juice and eliminating painful sensations. To this end, apply all kinds of collections and broths, which affect the root cause of the pathology, and the process of its flow. Recipes will differ slightly depending on what type of acidity is diagnosed in the patient.

For example, in case of increased acidity, people often use such a popular recipe:

• boils flaxseed for 5 minutes;
• then insist it for about 2 hours and filter;
• the resulting mucus is given to the patient at the rate of one spoon of the dining room before eating.

Also very effective is the decoction from the herbal collection, which contains chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow and celandine .For its preparation, it is necessary to mix the same amount of all ingredients and pour them with boiling water. The infusion is left for several hours, and then given to the patient in a small amount 30 minutes before meals.

In case of reduced acidity of the stomach, it is recommended to consume 125 milliliters of freshly squeezed cabbage juice an hour before meals.

With the same purpose you can use a decoction of ayr. The process of its preparation is as follows:

• 4 tablespoons of rhizomes of ara are poured with boiling water;
• remedy is infused for 30 minutes;
• is taken by a quarter cup before meals.

Eliminate pain in the abdomen helps infusion of apple, pear, strawberry, and cranberry leaves, the same number of which is filled with boiling water, cooled, filtered and used in between meals.

Prevention measures

Immunity to this bacterium is not produced, the disease has a tendency to relapse. Prevention consists in observing the rules of personal hygiene, healthy lifestyles, conducting timely examinations and treatment of all family members in case of detection of Helicobacter in one of the relatives.

If you want to protect yourself from this pathology, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• use only your personal hygiene products;
• do not use shared utensils;
• thoroughly wash hands before eating;
• not kissing unfamiliar people;
• not to abuse alcohol;
• does not smoke( taking into account not only active smoking, but also passive).

To date, there are no vaccinations against Helicobacter bacteria, but scientists are actively working on this issue. It is assumed that the vaccine can be used in conjunction with food, but so far experiments on the creation of such a drug, which would have been effective in conditions of high acidity of the stomach, were unsuccessful.

What should be the diet in the treatment of helikobakterioza

Undoubtedly, the main point in the treatment of this pathology is the use of medications, but no less important role is played by proper nutrition. To easily get rid of Helicobacteriosis, the following recommendations should be observed:

• do not make large intervals between meals;
• to eat food in small portions;
• comply with 5-6 one-time diet, eat slowly, chew well and drink plenty of liquid;
• patient should refrain from excessively fatty, fried or spicy foods, carbonated drinks, pickled meals, alcohol.

In fact, these are only general recommendations, in each case the food should be calculated on the basis of the acidity level( low, high) and be prescribed only by the specialist who is carrying out the treatment.

It can be summed up that Helicobacter pylori is a very dangerous microorganism capable of provoking the development of many serious pathologies. In order to effectively eliminate this problem, it is necessary, immediately after the appearance of the first symptoms, to seek medical help and to engage in complex treatment that combines the achievements of traditional and traditional medicine. Only in this case it is possible to count on a positive result and a quick recovery, without the development of side effects.