Everyday Medicine by Dr Luke Crantock

Conversations with colleagues providing helpful ideas and advice in healthcare


Block 2 Centre for GI Health Block 2 Centre for GI Health

Episode 47. Helicobacter Pylori with Dr Darcy Holt

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative curved bacillus that may colonise the gastric and proximal duodenal mucosa. Its significance was first described by Barry Marshall and Robin Warren in 1982 both of whom were awarded the Nobel prize in 2005 after the Nobel community described the discovery as the most impacting in medical sciences. Most medical practitioners are aware of the pathophysiological consequences of Helicobacter which is responsible for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcer disease, and may be associated with gastric adenocarcinoma as well as mucosa associated lymphoid tissue hyperplasia (MALT lymphoma). Its eradication has largely hinged on standard triple therapy including a PPI combined with amoxicillin and clarithromycin taken together for 1 week in Australia; unfortunately this regimen has a 10-15% failure rate.

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