Description
Helicobacter pylori, previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a gram-negative bacterium usually found in the stomach.
In general, over 50% of the world’s population has H. pylori in their upper gastrointestinal tracts with this infection (or colonization) being more common in developing countries. In recent decades, however the prevalence of H. pylori colonization of the gastrointestinal tract has declined in many countries.
In all events, H. pylori infection is usually asymptomatic, being associated with overt disease (commonly gastritis or peptic ulcers rather than the relatively very rarely occurring cancers) in less than 20% of cases.
