[Therapy of Helicobacter infection]

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H.p.) leads to mostly asymptomatic chronic gastritis. However, H.p. plays a role in peptic ulcer, giant fold gastritis (Menetrier's disease), and possibly in gastric carcinoma and low-grade MALT lymphoma. Whether functional dyspepsia also represents a Helicobacter-induced entity is questionable. H.p. should be eradicated in patients with peptic ulcer disease, Menetrier+s disease and - but in controlled studies only - in MALT lymphomas. Triple therapy with low-dose proton pump inhibitors and two antibiotics is the most favourable treatment compared to dual therapy with omeprazole and amoxicillin/clarithromycin despite the unresolved question of the development of drug resistance.