What Are Helicobacter pylori?

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are a type of bacteria. These germs are a common cause of digestive illnesses, including:

gastritis: the irritation and inflammation of the stomach lining

peptic ulcers (often called stomach ulcers): sores in the lining of the stomach, small intestine, or esophagus

later in life, stomach cancer

Kids can get stomachaches for many reasons, like indigestion, viruses, stress and worry, and appendicitis. Most stomachaches are not caused by Helicobacter pylori (HEL-ih-ko-bak-tur pie-LOR-eye) bacteria.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of H. pylori Infections?

Many people who get an H. pylori infection don’t realize it. Often, these infections don’t cause symptoms.

When the bacteria do cause symptoms, they're usually either symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease.

In kids, symptoms of gastritis (ga-STRYE-tis) may include:

nausea

vomiting

belly pain

bloating

In older kids and adults, the most common symptom of peptic ulcers is a lasting or burning belly pain, usually in the area below the ribs and above the navel. This pain often gets worse on an empty stomach and gets better as soon as the person eats food, drinks milk, or takes antacid medicine.

Peptic ulcers that bleed can cause:

hematemesis (hee-muh-TEM-uh-sis): bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds

melena (muh-LEE-nuh): stool (poop) that's black, bloody, or looks like tar

How Do People Get H. pylori Infections?

People can swallow H. pylori bacteria from contaminated food, water, or eating utensils. Infections are most common in crowded areas and those without clean water or good sewage systems. People also can pass the bacteria through their saliva (spit) and other body fluids.

How Are H. pylori Infections Treated?

Doctors use antibiotics to treat H. pylori infections. A single antibiotic may not kill the bacteria, so doctors often prescribe a combination of antibiotics. To ease problems from stomach acids, doctors usually also give antacids or acid-suppressing drugs.

Antibiotic treatment cures many cases of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease caused by H. pylori, especially ulcers in the duodenum.

A child who has symptoms of bleeding from the stomach or small intestine will be treated in a hospital.

Can H. pylori Infections Be Prevented?

There's no vaccine against H. pylori. But taking these steps can protect your family from many illnesses and help lower their risk of an H. pylori infection:

Wash hands well and often, especially after using the bathroom and before making or eating food.

Avoid food if you’re not sure that it was prepared safely.

Drink water from a safe source.