What is it about?
In this review, we discuss the issue of an important gastric pathogen, Helicobacter pylori (Hp), which has been discovered quite recently in 1983. This microorganism is involved in several diseases such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, lymphoma, gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastric cancer. This infection can be permanent in the absence of an appropriate treatment, and Hp intrinsic antibiotic-resistance is an important obstacle to eradication. Hp infection is widespread with about 50% of world population infected. In developing countries, especially in lower socioeconomic classes, the prevalence is higher (about 80%) whereas in the developed areas such as USA, Canada, Japan and Western Europe, the prevalence is much lower (about 25-30%). Therefore, it is crucial to identify effective therapies capable of curing Hp infection. We reviewed literature data searching for the best options to eradicate this pathogen that ensure both patients’ compliance and the fewest side effects.
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Why is it important?
Some important issues are treated in this article helping the clinicians to deal with this important pathogen such as the heteroresistance (different susceptibility patterns in a single stomach) or the different treatment strategies with the minor side-effect s for the patients
Perspectives
I think that this publication may be very useful for the readers because they could be aware of the difficulties inherent in the management of this bacterium. As is stated in this manuscript , the H. pylori antibiotic-resistance is more and more increasing over the last years and the search of new antibiotics in the future seems to have a poor therapeutic future. Other solutions should be pursued in order to increase the cure rate of Hp infection, such as the use of probiotics and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as well as microorganisms, polysaccharides, and intra-gastric violet light irradiation or the development of vaccines .
Maria Teresa Mascellino
Sapienza University of Rome (Italy)
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Antibiotic susceptibility, heteroresistance, and updated treatment strategies in Helicobacter pylori infection, Drug Design Development and Therapy, July 2017, Dove Medical Press,
DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s136240.
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