Helicobacter pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori infection is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of your stomach lining and ulcers (sores) in your stomach or intestine. It's often shortened to H. pylori.

The Stomach

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H. pylori infection can lead to gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. If H. pylori infection isn't treated, it raises your chance of getting stomach cancer.

• The infection is caused by a type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori

• It's a very common infection—by age 60, about half of people have been infected

• H. pylori spreads from person to person through kissing, close contact, and not washing hands after passing stool (poop)

• Many people don’t have symptoms, but you may have pain in the upper belly area

• Doctors treat H. pylori infection with antibiotics

You may not have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they include:

• Pain in your upper belly

• Indigestion

• Belly discomfort (a feeling of gas, a sense of fullness, or burning)

Doctors suspect H. pylori infection from your symptoms. To know for sure, they'll do tests such as:

• Breath or stool tests

• Upper endoscopy (using a flexible viewing tube to look in your stomach)

Doctors treat H. pylori infection using:

• Antibiotics

• Medicine to lower stomach acid (proton pump inhibitor)

After treatment, doctors will repeat breath or stool tests to make sure the infection is gone.