http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/hpylori/hpylori.htm
>
> - - - -
>
> 1.) What Is a Peptic Ulcer?
>
> A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the
> stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the
> small intestine. Peptic ulcers are common: One in 10
> Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or
> her life. One cause of peptic ulcer is bacterial
> infection, but some ulcers are caused by long-term
> use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents
> (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen. In a few
> cases, cancerous tumors in the stomach or pancreas
> can cause ulcers. Peptic ulcers are not caused by
> spicy food or stress.
>
> - - - -
>
> 2.) What Is H.pylori?
>
> Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of
> bacteria. Researchers believe that H. pylori is
> responsible for the majority of peptic ulcers.
>
> H. pylori infection is common in the United States:
> About 20 percent of people under 40 years old and
> half of those over 60 have it. Most infected people,
> however, do not develop ulcers. Why H. pylori does
> not cause ulcers in every infected person is not
> known. Most likely, infection depends on
> characteristics of the infected person, the type of
> H. pylori, and other factors yet to be discovered.
>
> Researchers are not certain how people contract H.
> pylori, but they think it may be through food or
> water.
>
> Researchers have found H. pylori in some infected
> people's saliva, so the bacteria may also spread
> through mouth-to-mouth contact such as kissing.
>
> - - - -
>
> 3.) How Does H.pylori Cause a Peptic Ulcer?
>
> H. pylori weakens the protective mucous coating of
> the stomach and duodenum, which allows acid to get
> through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the
> acid and the bacteria irritate the lining and cause
> a sore, or ulcer.
>
> H. pylori is able to survive in stomach acid because
> it secretes enzymes that neutralize the acid. This
> mechanism allows H. pylori to make its way to the
> "safe" area--the protective mucous lining. Once
> there, the bacterium's spiral shape helps it burrow
> through the lining.
>
> - - - -
>
> 4.) What Are the Symptoms of an Ulcer?
>
> Abdominal discomfort is the most common symptom.
> This discomfort usually:
>
> * is a dull, gnawing ache.
>
> * comes and goes for several days or weeks.
>
> * occurs 2 to 3 hours after a meal.
>
> * occurs in the middle of the night (when the
> stomach is empty).
>
> * is relieved by food.
>
> * is relieved by antacid medications.
>
> ** Other symptoms include
>
> * weight loss
>
> * poor appetite
>
> * bloating
>
> * burping
>
> * nausea
>
> * vomiting
>
> Some people experience only very mild symptoms, or
> none at all.
>
> - - - -
>
> 5.) Emergency Symptoms
>
> If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor
> right away:
>
> * sharp, sudden, persistent stomach pain
>
> * bloody or black stools
>
> * bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee
> grounds
>
> ** They could be signs of a serious problem, such as
>
> * perforation--when the ulcer burrows through the
> stomach or duodenal wall.
>
> * bleeding--when acid or the ulcer breaks a blood
> vessel.
>
> * obstruction--when the ulcer blocks the path of
> food trying to leave the stomach.
>
> - - - -
>
> 6.) How Is an H.pylori-related Ulcer Diagnosed?
>
> Diagnosing an Ulcer
>
> To see whether symptoms are caused by an ulcer, the
> doctor may do an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series
> or an endoscopy. An upper GI series is an x ray of
> the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The patient
> drinks a chalky liquid called barium to make these
> organs and any ulcers show up more clearly on the x
> ray.
>
> An endoscopy is an exam that uses an endoscope, a
> thin, lighted tube with a tiny camera on the end.
> The patient is lightly sedated, and the doctor
> carefully eases the endoscope into the mouth and
> down the throat to the stomach and duodenum. This
> allows the doctor to see the lining of the
> esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The doctor can use
> the endoscope to take photos of ulcers or remove a
> tiny piece of tissue to view under a microscope.
>
> - - - -
>
> 7.) Diagnosing H.pylori
>
> If an ulcer is found, the doctor will test the
> patient for H. pylori. This test is important
> because treatment for an ulcer caused by H. pylori
> is different from that for an ulcer caused by
> NSAIDs.
>
> H. pylori is diagnosed through blood, breath, stool,
> and tissue tests. Blood tests are most common. They
> detect antibodies to H. pylori bacteria. Blood is
> taken at the doctor's office through a finger stick.
>
> Urea breath tests are mainly used after treatment to
> see whether it worked, but they can be used in
> diagnosis too. In the doctor's office, the patient
> drinks a urea solution that contains a special
> carbon atom. If H. pylori is present, it breaks down
> the urea, releasing the carbon. The blood carries
> the carbon to the lungs, where the patient exhales
> it. The breath test is 96 percent to 98 percent
> accurate.
>
> Stool tests may be used to detect H. pylori
> infection in the patient's fecal matter. Studies
> have shown that the test, called the Helicobacter
> pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test, is accurate for
> diagnosing H. pylori.
>
> Tissue tests are usually done using the biopsy
> sample that is removed with the endoscope. There are
> three types:
>
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