Helicobacter pylori infection: a dynamic process from diagnosis to treatment

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Oct 19:13:1257817. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1257817. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori, a gram-negative microaerophilic pathogen, causes several upper gastrointestinal diseases, such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. For the diseases listed above, H. pylori has different pathogenic mechanisms, including colonization and virulence factor expression. It is essential to make accurate diagnoses and provide patients with effective treatment to achieve positive clinical outcomes. Detection of H. pylori can be accomplished invasively and noninvasively, with both having advantages and limitations. To enhance therapeutic outcomes, novel therapeutic regimens, as well as adjunctive therapies with probiotics and traditional Chinese medicine, have been attempted along with traditional empiric treatments, such as triple and bismuth quadruple therapies. An H. pylori infection, however, is difficult to eradicate during treatment owing to bacterial resistance, and there is no commonly available preventive vaccine. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of our understanding of H. pylori infections and to highlight current treatment and diagnostic options.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; antibiotic resistance; diagnostic strategy; pathogenesis; treatment.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bismuth / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Helicobacter Infections* / diagnosis
  • Helicobacter Infections* / drug therapy
  • Helicobacter pylori*
  • Humans

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bismuth

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 82374429 and 82004427); the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (nos. 2023JJ30460 and 2023JJ40474); the Scientific Research Fund of the Hunan Provincial Education Department (no. 21A0240); the Open-competing Disciple Construction Project of the Hunan University of Chinese Medicine (no. 22JBZ027); and the Guidance Project of the Academician Liu Liang’s Expert Workstation (no. 22YS003).