[Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection]

In accordance with our current understanding, infection with the pathogen Helicobacter pylori is an important, but readily diagnosable and treatable cause of various gastroduodenal diseases. A lasting cure is achieved when the bacterium is eradicated with the aid of an established therapeutic regimen. Furthermore, eradication is a rational preventive measure even in asymptomatic patients, since current clinical data show that it offers protection, in particular to high-risk groups, from gastric carcinoma, but also from other complications (e.g. peptic ulcer). The upgraded European Guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection put out by the European Helicobacter Pylori Study Group (EHPSG) in Maastricht take account of the present state of our knowledge of the significance of H. pylori eradication.