This site is intended for US Health Care Professionals Only

What Is <span class="hpylori-bold">H. pylori<span class="hpylori-bold">?

H. pylori—a common chronic infection1

H. pylori is a spiral-shaped, gram-negative bacterium found in the gastric mucosa or adherent to the epithelial lining of the stomach.2 H. pylori infection is linked to a number of important upper gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer.*3

Epidemiology

hpylori stats
  •  

    Nearly 1 in 3 adults and 25% of children† in the United States are affected by H. pylori4,5

  •  

    Nearly 6 out of 10 Americans born outside of the United States are infected with H. pylori6

  •  

    About 5 out of 10 Americans over the age of 50 are infected with H. pylori7

 

Nearly 1/3 of patients in North America who are examined for dyspepsia are infected with H. pylori.7

*Global occurrence rates are undetermined for dyspepsia, 10%-15% for ulcers, and ~1% for gastric cancer.8

†Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III of children ages 6 to 19 years.

References
  • Graham-Lomax K, Graham DY. Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of H. pylori-Associated Gastrointestinal Diseases. 3rd ed. Newtown, PA: Handbooks in Health Care Co; 2005.
  • Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease: the key to cure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. http://www.cdc.gov/ulcer/keytocure.htm. Updated September 28, 2006. Accessed March 12, 2019.
  • Chey WD, Wong BCY; Practice Parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology. American College of Gastroenterology guideline on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. Am J Gastroenterol. 2007;102(8):1808-1825.
  • Everhart JE, Kruszon-Moran D, Perez-Perez GI, Tralka TS, McQuillan G. Seroprevalence and ethnic differences in Helicobacter pylori infection among adults in the United States. J Infect Dis. 2000;181(4):1359-1363.
  • Staat MA, Kruszon-Moran D, McQuillan GM, Kaslow RA. A population-based serologic survey of Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents in the United States. J Infect Dis. 1996;174(5):1120-1123.
  • Fee C, Nemer JA. Acute infectious gastrointestinal disorders. Hosp Physician Emerg Med Board Rev Manual. 2004;8(pt 1):2-11.
  • Ables AZ, Simin I, Melton ER. Update on Helicobacter pylori treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2007;75(3):351-358.
  • Ernst PB, Peura DA, Crowe SE. The translation of Helicobacter pylori basic research to patient care. Gastroenterology. 2006;130(1):188-206.