It's time to recognize the seriousness of “bacteria entering the mouth”

“Many people are infected Having experienced Helicobacter pylori does not mean that it is okay to be infected with this bacteria. On the contrary, we should pay more attention to it, because the infection rate is very high.” In the opinion of Zhang Zhenyu, director of the Department of Gastroenterology of Nanjing First Hospital, this time Helicobacter pylori was infected by Helicobacter pylori. Attention is an opportunity to let the public know more about this disease, which has an infection rate of over 40% in our country.

Over 85% of gastric cancers worldwide are attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infection and unhealthy lifestyle are closely related

Although many people have heard of Helicobacter pylori, those who really understand this infectious disease not much. This is Zhang Zhenyu’s clinical experience for many years. He said that as early as 1994, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the World Health Organization designated Helicobacter pylori as a class I carcinogen of gastric cancer. Bacterial infection has never been an insignificant disease, but the Chinese people have not paid enough attention to it.”

“So it is very important to improve people’s health literacy.” Qiu Haibo, deputy chief physician of gastric surgery at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, said with emotion, “Helicobacter pylori infection and some unhealthy lifestyles have In many cases, if we pay more attention, the possibility of infection will be much smaller.” Qiu Haibo will repeatedly explain the cause of infection to patients and family members with related diseases to attract everyone’s attention. For example, he said: “An unhealthy lifestyle leads to a decline in the body’s immunity, which may indirectly lead to an increase in the infection rate; in addition, kissing between couples or sharing tableware between family members can also lead to Helicobacter pylori infection.”

Should Helicobacter pylori be detected, do you have to worry about cancer?

“Over 85% of gastric cancers worldwide are attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection.” Zhang Zhenyu listed this quite noteworthy data and analyzed that Helicobacter pylori infection is the key to preventing gastric cancer The most important controllable risk factor. A large amount of research evidence shows that the occurrence of intestinal-type gastric cancer (which accounts for the majority of gastric cancer) is the result of the combined effect of Helicobacter pylori infection, environmental factors and genetic factors. It is estimated that about 90% of non-cardiac gastric cancers are related to Helicobacter pylori infection; the overall role of environmental factors in the development of gastric cancer is second to that of Helicobacter pylori infection; genetic factors are involved in about 1% to 3% of hereditary diffuse gastric cancers. play a decisive role. “It can be seen that among the many factors that cause gastric cancer, the prevention of Helicobacter pylori infection is the most controllable factor. This is also an important reason why we should pay attention to Helicobacter pylori infection,” he concluded.

“We must pay attention to Helicobacter pylori infection, but we don’t have to be overly nervous.” Qiu Haibo explained that clinically, about 90% of Helicobacter pylori infected patients will not show any symptoms. Symptoms, a small number of symptoms such as indigestion, stomach pain or bad breath, and only a very small number of infected people are diagnosed with gastric cancer. “Helicobacter pylori infection will first lead to chronic gastritis, then atypical hyperplasia, including mild dysplasia and severe dysplasia, and finally to cancer. The evolutionary process is not necessarily forward, only 1% of The probability will lead to the occurrence of gastric cancer.” Qiu Haibo’s words made many Helicobacter pylori infected people let go of their excessive anxiety.

But we must pay attention to Helicobacter pylori, Zhang Zhenyu repeated his point again. “Because my country is a country with a high incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection, and Helicobacter pylori infection is also the main cause of gastric cancer in my country.” In Zhang Zhenyu’s view, the more the public knows about the harm of gastric cancer, the more helpful it is to promote gastric cancer prevention.

“Eradication of Helicobacter pylori can reduce the incidence of gastric cancer, especially early eradication.” This is the conclusion of Zhang Zhenyu’s clinical and research for many years, and it is also the consensus of domestic experts. “In our country, most gastric cancer patients are already in the advanced stage when they are found to have cancer, and the prognosis is poor. If it is detected early, it can be treated in time and the prognosis is good.” Zhang Zhenyu said, but early gastric cancer is generally asymptomatic or the symptoms lack specificity, so it is difficult to timely Find. “So once we find out that we have cancer, it is very troublesome. If we can treat Helicobacter pylori in time to reduce the risk of cancer, of course our health will be more secure.”

H. pylori infection does not go away on its own unless proactive intervention is taken

How to detect Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infection detected, must treatment be given?

“We recommend early treatment. The sooner you treat Helicobacter pylori infection, the better your health will be.” Zhang Zhenyu said, “In the past, many people thought that if there were no serious symptoms, they could die. However, most domestic experts now believe that it should be treated as soon as possible.” Because if not treated, it is easy to infect people around you, and it will also increase the possibility of gastrointestinal diseases. “There was a point of view before, that after treatment, reinfection will occur, so you can ignore it if there are no obvious symptoms. But according to our current research, the reinfection rate after Helicobacter pylori treatment is very low, and the reinfection rate of the general population is about Only about 1.5%.” In Zhang Zhenyu’s view, early treatment of Helicobacter pylori can maximize benefits.

“For people with a family history of gastric cancer, eradication of Helicobacter pylori can reduce the risk of gastric cancer by 73%.” Zhang Zhenyu once again used the research data to prove the early The importance of treating Helicobacter pylori.

If not treated in time, what symptoms can Helicobacter pylori infection cause? Li Lei, director of the General Medicine Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, concluded that about 25% to 30% of Helicobacter pylori-infected patients will develop gastrointestinal diseases of varying degrees, such as indigestion, chronic gastritis, and peptic ulcers. , gastric cancer, etc. “In fact, not only gastrointestinal diseases, but also Helicobacter pylori infection is closely related to a variety of extra-gastrointestinal diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc.” Li Lei said.

Zhang Zhenyu also emphasized: “For some special groups, it is more important to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection, such as the elderly.” Eradication of Helicobacter pylori can improve the gastrointestinal symptoms of elderly patients, prevent or delay the occurrence of gastric mucosal atrophy and intestinal metaplasia to some extent, and even reverse some gastric mucosal atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. “It’s just that elderly patients with Helicobacter pylori infection often suffer from cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, kidney and other systemic diseases. Therefore, before Helicobacter pylori treatment, the patient’s previous drug use, physiological characteristics, diseases and adverse drug reactions should be considered. Wait, choose an individualized and standardized treatment plan.” Zhang Zhenyu said.

“We have to make it clear that unless active intervention measures are taken, Helicobacter pylori infection will not disappear on its own.” Zhang Zhenyu reminded that Helicobacter pylori-related diseases not only endanger human health, but also Moreover, it imposes a heavy burden on the health care of the society and the family. “Therefore, it is very urgent to eradicate Helicobacter pylori to reduce the occurrence of related diseases in all aspects.” It is understood that his point of view is also the consensus of domestic experts in related fields.

According to the “Expert Consensus on the Prevention, Control and Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Chinese Residents’ Households” released in 2021, there are currently two main strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and management of Helicobacter pylori infection in my country. : Testing and treatment in areas with low infection rates, screening and treatment in areas with high infection rates. “That is to say, in areas with low infection rates, if you have indigestion symptoms, it is recommended to do relevant inspections yourself, and if infection with Helicobacter pylori is found, then treatment; and for areas with high infection rates, my country is striving for large-scale For the screening of Helicobacter pylori, for example, in the community, community doctors and community staff can conduct relevant popularization and examinations on the masses, and those who are found to be infected with Helicobacter pylori are recommended to be treated, unless the patient has a counteracting factor in his own body.” He also reminded that people with a family history of gastric cancer and other related diseases should be tested regularly.

“In recent years, Japan and South Korea have begun to implement nationwide Helicobacter pylori eradication programs to reduce the incidence of gastric cancer and Helicobacter pylori infection-related diseases, thereby saving later medical care Expenses.” In Zhang Zhenyu’s view, a national eradication plan is necessary, and his suggestion is to “step by step, with the efforts of the government and all levels of society, we must realize the national Helicobacter pylori eradication plan as soon as possible”.

About 64% of families in my country have at least one family member infected with Helicobacter pylori

to prevent “bacteria from entering the mouth”, the most It is important to advocate the meal-sharing system

When talking about the way to prevent Helicobacter pylori, Zhang Zhenyu believes that as a Infectious diseases, the use of vaccines to prevent infection is of course the best choice. “But there is no clinical vaccine yet.” He said that there have been many attempts at home and abroad for the development of Helicobacter pylori vaccine over the years, but due to the complexity of its antigen preparation and the body’s response, the current vaccine research is still In the laboratory and clinical development stage. “In addition, some toothpastes claim to be anti-Helicobacter pylori, which is also without scientific basis.” Zhang Zhenyu said, “In the absence of vaccines, the most important thing to prevent Helicobacter pylori is to cultivate healthy living habits.”

“Human-to-human transmission is an important way of Helicobacter pylori transmission, and there is an obvious family aggregation phenomenon of Helicobacter pylori infection. Intra-family transmission is an important way of Helicobacter pylori transmission. According to According to the current research, about 64% of families in my country have at least one family member infected with Helicobacter pylori.” Zhang Zhenyu reminded that since Helicobacter pylori infection rarely recovers without treatment, family members infected with Helicobacter pylori are always potential The source of infection, there is the possibility of continuous transmission.

In Zhang Zhenyu’s view, the most important thing to reduce the possibility of family infection with Helicobacter pylori is to advocate a divided meal system, because this can greatly reduce the possibility of “bacteria entering through the mouth” .

“The meal-sharing system is not a question of willingness or not, but a must.” Zhang Zhenyu said that the so-called meal-sharing means that the tableware is separated and reserved for special persons. “We Chinese think that eating together is lively, and it is very warm to eat dishes with each other, but if one of the people eating together carries germs, then the tableware he has used may contain germs, and others use the tableware he has used or eat. He is very likely to be infected when his tableware has been touched.” Not only Helicobacter pylori, but also hepatitis B virus, pneumonia virus, anaerobic streptococcus, oral cocci, and new coronary pneumonia virus and other viruses, regardless of the meal, Zhang Zhenyu introduced. “So when having a meal, it’s best to divide the dishes and eat your own. At least you need to use public chopsticks. This is a must.”

And for children with children It is even more necessary to advocate a divided meal system, Li Lei reminded: “Many elderly people with children like to chew food first and then feed it to children. This feeding method is actually very easy to infect Helicobacter pylori and other viruses to children. . And Helicobacter pylori infection mainly occurs in children and adolescents, so we must pay more attention.”

In Li Lei’s view, because many traditional and emotional factors are involved, in our country It is indeed difficult to implement a meal-sharing system. “This also reflects the importance of improving people’s health literacy. If everyone understands the dangers of mixed eating, they will not feel that people who share meals are not in the group.” Li Lei suggested that not only when dining together, but also when family members eat together, Also, separate meals, cutlery, chopsticks, etc. should not be mixed together. “Chopsticks are not easy to distinguish. You can use different colors for each person, so that you will not use them wrong.” This is Li Lei’s “little trick”.

“The Spring Festival is approaching, and it is the peak of the year for gatherings. Everyone can remind each other that sharing meals will not reduce the atmosphere, sharing meals will not reduce feelings, and sharing meals is a healthier and more fashionable life. way.” Zhang Zhenyu said with emotion, when meal sharing becomes a daily routine, the infection rate of many viruses will naturally decrease.

(Reporter Zou Xiaojing)

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