This is an automatically translated article.
The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Gastroenterology - Endoscopy - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.
The habit of eating together, picking up food for each other or serving rice, blowing soup for children seems to be "harmless" but also infects HP bacteria. In the cases of gastric cancer, more than 70% of patients have HP (+).
1. What is Helicobacter pylori?
Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that lives and grows in the human stomach.
So why does HP bacteria live in the stomach? In an acidic environment such as the stomach, HP bacteria survive by secreting an enzyme called Urease that helps it neutralize the acidity in the stomach.
2. Stomach Helicobacter pylori is transmitted by which way?
There are 3 main routes of infection:
Oral-oral transmission: The spouse of an infected person usually has a 90% chance of infection. Therefore, when one person is infected with HP, the other person also needs to be tested. If both people are infected, also treat both to avoid antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Fecal-oral transmission: Re-infection and transmission of HP in the community is also through eating habits, family and community habits. Gastro-oral transmission: Cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment such as endoscopes, dental instruments, ENT instruments, etc. is important and essential to prevent the spread of HP. Of these modes of transmission, oral-oral transmission is considered the most common cause of HP infection. Therefore, the habit of eating and drinking with the same bowl of fish sauce, sharing soup, sharing food and "picking up food for each other" also infects HP bacteria.
3. What is the risk of stomach cancer when infected with HP?
Many people, when found to be infected with HP bacteria, often worry about whether HP bacteria cause cancer. In fact, Helicobacter pylori can lead to chronic progressive gastritis and is a major cause of gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer.
In gastric cancer cases, more than 70% of patients have HP (+). And in nodular gastritis detected through endoscopic images, 100% of the bacteria have HP (+).
4. How do I know I have HP?
Symptoms in people infected with HP bacteria are often silent, not obvious. Usually it causes chronic stomach pain such as chronic gastritis or peptic ulcer. You should visit the hospital for the most accurate results.
Methods in medicine applied to detect HP bacteria include:
Invasive method: The patient is carried out gastroduodenal endoscopy, assessing the status of gastric ulcer - duodenal ulcer. At the same time, after the endoscopy, the doctor takes a biopsy tissue sample and conducts a rapid urease test, histological biopsy or bacterial culture.
Non-invasive method: This method patients can know if they are infected with HP bacteria or not without the need for gastroduodenal endoscopy, with the following 3 ways:
Breath test Test for HP bacteria in stool Test for anti-HP antibodies in the blood (rarely applied) One of the non-invasive testing methods widely used in many countries, including Vietnam, is the breath test. breath - Urea Breath Test).
5. What can be done to reduce the risk of HP?
Avoid the habit of sharing dipping bowls, picking up food for each other, not chewing rice, blowing soup for children. Hygienic diet, punctuality. Limit alcohol, sour foods, stimulant spices such as chili pepper. Don't eat right before going to bed. Avoid stress and anxiety. Do not use antibiotics arbitrarily, especially when there is no evidence that you have HP infection, or without the prescription of a specialist. It is necessary to adhere to the treatment regimen: The right drug, the right dose, the right way to use and the right time. Visit a specialist when there is discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract to have an indication for HP screening as soon as necessary. Especially routine check-ups in people over 40 years old, including men & women
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