Helicobacter pylori infection: diagnosis and treatment

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common infections worldwide. Eradication of this important pathogen would lead to virtual elimination of the second most common cancer worldwide - gastric cancer. A variety of accurate diagnostic tests are available but current therapeutic regimens are generally unsatisfactory, with failure rates of between 20 and 40%. Difficulty in curing the infection has led to a three-step approach: diagnosis, therapy and confirmation of cure. Better studies, including head-to-head comparison of different drugs, drug formulations, dosing intervals, dosing in relation to meals, and duration of therapy are needed. The high rates of reinfection and the lack of improvements in standards of living in developing countries makes the development of a vaccine a high priority.