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Digestive System Disorders and Helicobacter Pylori

When it comes to bacteria, the stomach does a good job of killing most anything that might be ingested. The high acidity of the stomach fluids does not cultivate an environment suitable to flourishing colonies of bacteria, with the notable exception of helicobacter pylori. Known in medical circles since their discovery in the late 1870s, the bacteria has been studied over the decades and it was found that it is almost always ingested via dirtied water or contaminated food. By and large it is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, and considering that the ease of such transmission is frequently underestimated, it is fair to assume that a vast number of individuals are currently infected. Conversely, since the bacterium is also present in the human saliva, contact with saliva of an infected person may also cause exposure. Since many are asymptomatic, there is no way of getting an accurate count or to even make an educated guess.

Helicobacter pylori are usually not tested for unless a patient seeks out a physician's help with any number of ailments since digestive system disorders and helicobacter pylori go hand in hand.

* When unexplained abdominal pain is a complaint, physicians may run a fecal culture to rule out bacterial infection and if helicobacter pylori are present, an endoscopy might be suggested to examine a very short portion of the small intestine that is frequently adversely affected by this bacterium. Known as duodenum, it may become inflamed and the pain is presented via the abdomen. Treatment of the bacterium will cure the disorder.

* If the abdominal pain is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and fever, physicians may choose to investigate for gastritis and a gastroscopy is ordered. When the bacteria are discovered, physicians will treat aggressively with two concurrent antibiotics and a third drug that serves to significantly lower the amount of stomach acid that is produced.

* Of course, the most well known and feared digestive system disorders are peptic ulcers and they are overwhelmingly caused by helicobacter pylori. Accompanied by the vomiting of blood, abdominal pain following ingestion of a meal, and also bloody stools, physicians will do a complete workup and medical history report to exclude inherited or other ailments; in addition, the patient will be required to undergo a gastroscopy which permits the doctor a visual examination of the affected area. Peptic ulcers will be treated much like gastritis, but depending on the damage done by the ulcers surgery may also be required.

* Stomach cancer is also considered to be caused by this bacterium. Sadly the symptoms of this illness do not occur until much later and treatment does not always come in time. The same symptoms as peptic ulcers are present, yet when cancer is noted, surgery is frequently required. After surgery, several other treatments may be added to ensure complete remission or to keep metastasized growths at bay for as long as possible. The sooner a patient will seek out medical attention for digestive system disorders, the higher the likelihood of survival.