The infectious etiology of peptic ulcer disease. Diagnosis and implications for therapy.

Abstract

During the past decade, peptic ulcer disease has become recognized as multifactorial in etiology, with a major component thought to be infection of the gastric mucosa with a spiral-shaped bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori. This organism has been found to cause most cases of chronic gastritis and is clearly pathogenic in most cases of duodenal and gastric ulceration. Biologic characteristics, epidemiology, and methods of detection (invasive and noninvasive) of H. pylori are discussed from a clinical perspective. Finally, eradication of H. pylori infection is difficult because of bacterial resistance and patient noncompliance.