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Answers
| Is it possible to transmit the
bacteria from one spouse to another through sharing the same food?
If my H. pylori infection is successfully eradicated, but my
spouse's isn't, will I be likely to get it back again? |
|
Investigators in Australia have shown that Chinese families have
increased levels of H. pylori when they share a common bowl
for a traditional Chinese meal. This does not prove it, but does
suggest that H. pylori can be transmitted from the mouth
of one person to the mouth of another through chopsticks. I am sceptical
however, and think that it is probably just socioeconomic or ethnic
association with H. pylori infection that causes this observation.
Some doctors have seen H. pylori in the mouth in dental plaque,
but his has not been universally described. Spouses probably do
transmit H. pylori from one to the other, but this is not
usually important in our patients. After being married for several
years, spouses are either immune to the H. pylori or already
infected. In the United States about 50% of our H. pylori
patients have an infected spouse. After one spouse is treated, another
spouse with no symptoms need not be treated unless obvious re-infection
of the treated patient occurs (re-infection is rare).
|
| Has a sudden exposure to high
country altitudes (difference in air pressure) been known to trigger
H. pylori infection? |
|
No.
|
| Do the numbers of H. pylori
increase in response to an increase in citric acid consumption? |
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No.
|
| How are ulcers transmitted? |
|
We do not know how H. pylori is transmitted, probably orally
(for example kissing or touching oral secretions, vomitus etc in
childhood can spread the infection). Alternatively, in developing
countries the infection is spread by faecal contamination of the
water supply, but even this is not proven in every case. Therefore
ulcers are transmitted the same way as H. pylori.
It may take many years before an ulcer develops, however many patients
with H. pylori never have any symptoms or ulcers.
|
| Is developing a H. pylori
infection hereditary? |
|
H. pylori does run in families. About half of the infections
are hereditary and the other half are acquired from the environment
during childhood.
|
| Have Helicobacter heilmanni colonisation
been found in human laryngeal mucosa or the cricopharyngeal muscles? |
|
No.
|
| Is it possible to test positive
for H. pylori after receiving one infusion of Venoglobulin
10% (5g)? |
|
It is possible to test positive for H. pylori after receiving
gammaglobulin or blood transfusion.
|
| Can you get H. pylori
from blood transfusion? |
|
No. You cannot get H. pylori from a blood transfusion, but
a blood serology antibody test could read positive if you have received
a transfusion of whole blood or plasma from a patient with H.
pylori.
|
| Is there any information regarding
the epidemiology of the disease, especially cases in Mexico or other
developing countries? |
|
Some references
- Anonymous. Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on
Helicobacter pylori Infections in the Developing World. Lima,
Peru, 28-31 January 1996. Clinical.Infectious.Diseases. 1997;
25: 9712043.
- Banatvala N, Clements L, Abdi Y, Graham JY, Hardie JM, Feldman
RA. Migration and Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence: Bangladeshi
migrants in the U.K. Journal.of.Infection 1995; 31: 133235.
- Bardhan PK. Epidemiological features of Helicobacter pylori
infection in developing countries. [Review] [53 refs]. Clinical.Infectious.Diseases.
1997; 25: 973-978.
- Bell GD, Powell KU. Helicobacter pylori reinfection after apparent
eradication--the Ipswich experience. Scandinavian.Journal.of.Gastroenterology
-.Supplement. 1996; 215: 96204.
- Blaser MJ. Epidemiology and pathophysiology of Campylobacter
pylori infections. Rev.Infect.Dis. 1990; 12: S99206.
- Bodhidatta L, Hoge CW, Churnratanakul S, et al. Diagnosis of
Helicobacter pylori infection in a developing country: comparison
of two ELISAs and a seroprevalence study. J.Infect.Dis. 1993;
168: 15492553.
- Crespi M, Citarda F. Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer:
what is the real risk? [see comments]. [Review] [31 refs]. Gastroenterologist.
1998; 6: 16-20.
- Dominguez-Bello MG, Michelangeli F, Romero R, et al. Modification
of Christensen urease test as an inexpensive tool for detection
of Helicobacter pylori. Diagnostic.Microbiology.&.Infectious.Disease.
1997; 28: 149252.
- Dore SP, Krupadas S, Borgonha S, Kurpad AV. The 13C urea breath
test to assess Helicobacter pylori infection in school children.
National.Medical.Journal.of.India. 1997; 10: 57-60.
- Graham DY, Adam E, Reddy GT, et al. Seroepidemiology of Helicobacter
pylori infection in India Comparison of developing and developed
countries. Dig.Dis.Sci. 1991; 36: 10842088.
- Guisset M, Coton T, Rey P, Debonne JM. [Helicobacter pylori
infection in developing countries]. [Review] [26 refs] [French].
Medecine.Tropicale. 1997; 57: 77-82.
- Hardikar W, Grimwood K. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection
in asymptomatic children. Journal.of.Paediatrics.&.Child Health
1995; 31: 537-541.
- Hayashi T, Tamura T. [Epidemiological studies and mode of transmission
of Helicobacter pylori infection]. Nippon.Rinsho. 1993; 51: 3114-3119.
- Hayashi T, Tamura T. [Epidemiological studies and mode of transmission
of Helicobacter pylori infection]. [Review] [Japanese]. Nippon
Rinsho - Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine 1993; 51: 3114-3119.
- Hill M. The microbiology of Helicobacter pylori. Biomedicine.&.Pharmacotherapy.
1997; 51: 161263.
- Lindkvist P, Asrat D, Nilsson I, et al. Age at acquisition of
Helicobacter pylori infection: comparison of a high and a low
prevalence country. Scandinavian.Journal.of.Infectious.Diseases.
1996; 28: 181284.
- Mahalanabis D, Rahman MM, Sarker SA, et al. Helicobacter pylori
infection in the young in Bangladesh: prevalence, socioeconomic
and nutritional aspects. International.Journal.of.Epidemiology.
1996; 25: 894-898.
- Matysiak-Budnik T, Megraud F. Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori
infection with special reference to professional risk. [Review]
[55 refs]. Journal.of.Physiology.&.Pharmacology 1997; 48 Suppl
4: 327.
- Mendall MA. Transmission of Helicobacter pylori. [Review] [101
refs]. Seminars.in Gastrointestinal.Disease. 1997; 8: 113223.
- Odera G, Cadranel S. Paediatric Helicobacter pylori. Current
Opinion in Gastroenterology 1995; 11: 42-46.
- Perez Perez GI, Taylor DN, Bodhidatta L, et al. Seroprevalence
of Helicobacter pylori infections in Thailand. J.Infect.Dis. 1990;
161: 12372241.
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estimates of the attributable fraction in 1990. [Review] [157
refs]. Cancer Epidemiology,.Biomarkers.&.Prevention. 1997;
6: 387-400.
- Potasman I, Yitzhak A. Helicobacter pylori serostatus in backpackers
following travel to tropical countries. American.Journal.of.Tropical.Medicine
&.Hygiene. 1998; 58: 305-308.
- Rodrigo Saez L, Riestra Menendez S, Fernandez Rodriguez E, Fernandez
Velazquez MR, Garcia Alonso S, Lauret Brana ME. Epidemiological
study of the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in the
general population in Asturias, Spain. Revista.Espanola.de.Enfermedades.Digestivas.
1997; 89: 511-522.
- Rollan A. [Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in developing
countries]. [Review] [61 refs] [Spanish]. Revista.Medica.de.Chile.
1997; 125: 939-949.
- Taylor DN, Blaser MJ. The epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori
infection. Epidemiol.Rev. 1991; 13: 42-59.
- Thorburn C, Rodriguez L, Parsonnet J. Epidemiology of gastric
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients: parallels with Helicobacter pylori.
[Review] [21 refs]. Helicobacter. 1996; 1: 75-78.
- van der Ende A, van Der Hulst RW, Dankert J, Tytgat GN. Reinfection
versus recrudescence in Helicobacter pylori infection. [Review]
[68 refs]. Alimentary.Pharmacology &.Therapeutics. 1997; 11
Suppl 1: 55-61.
- Xia HH, Talley NJ. Natural acquisition and spontaneous elimination
of Helicobacter pylori infection: clinical implications. [Review]
[106 refs]. American.Journal.of.Gastroenterology 1997; 92: 17802787.
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| My dog has just been diagnosed
as having Helicobacter infection. Is this transferable to humans or
vice versa? Is it likely he got the bacteria through his mother? What
are some causes? After the medication regime, is it likely to reappear? |
|
Dogs transmit Helicobacter to their puppies during the first few
weeks of life. Thus most dogs are infected with the "dog Helicobacter"
which is called is Helicobacter canis. This type of Helicobacter
can affect humans and about one percent of cases of human gastritis
are from the dog (cat) Helicobacter. Treatment is the same as the
human Helicobacter and the germ can easily be eradicated in most
cases.
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| My 7 year old child was diagnosed
with H. pylori - will this be something he will have to worry
about recurring for the rest of his life? |
|
No. In developed countries (ie. United States, Australia, etc)
it is unusual to catch H. pylori again.
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