How is Helicobacter pylori transmitted? Can children be infected?

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a micro-anaerobic bacterium that parasitizes in the stomach and adheres to the gastric mucosa and intercellular spaces.

Currently, the HP infection rate in my country is about 50%.

Hp infection is currently the most clear risk factor for gastric cancer.

How is HP transmitted?

Humans are the only source of infection for Helicobacter pylori, which is mainly found in saliva, dental plaque, stomach and feces.

Mode of transmission:

Oral-to-oral transmission: shared tableware and drinking glasses

Gastro-oral transmission: reflux from the stomach into the mouth

Fecal-oral transmission: Excreted in stool

Form of communication:

The virus can be transmitted through ingestion of infected water or food, transmission through gatherings, kissing, or mother-to-child transmission.

What symptoms may occur after infection?

1. The main symptoms are acid reflux, heartburn, stomach pain and bad breath.

2. It can cause chronic gastritis. The main clinical manifestations are: upper abdominal discomfort, dull pain, sometimes belching, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting. The course of the disease is slow, but it is easy to recur.

3. It may cause damage to the gastric mucosa. The occurrence of clinical diseases is diverse, and patients often experience acid reflux, belching, bloating, etc.

Can children get infected? What are the symptoms?

HP infection in children is different from that in adults.

1. The chance of serious illness in children infected with HP is very low. Most of them have no obvious symptoms after being infected with HP, and a small number have abdominal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, acid reflux and other digestive tract symptoms.

2. The reinfection rate in children may be higher after HP infection is eradicated, while the reinfection rate in adults is lower after true eradication.

3. Children have a certain spontaneous clearance rate during their growth and development, about 10%, while HP infection in adults cannot be cleared spontaneously without treatment.