Population-based study of Helicobacter pylori infection and antibiotic resistance in Bhutan

A comparative study between current and past Helicobacter pylori infection in terms of microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and its potential relationship to various diseases is currently a focus of attention. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between current and past H. pylori infections and elevated levels of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODS

Two hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were tested for the presence of H. pylori infection. They were divided into three groups: 52 had a current H. pylori infection, 38 had a past H. pylori infection, and 110 had no H. pylori infection. All study participants underwent assessments of plasma glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), albuminuria levels, inflammatory markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as other relevant investigations.

RESULTS

The prevalence of H. pylori infection (current and past) was detected in 90 out of 200 diabetic patients (45%). There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups in terms of age, diabetes duration, family history of DM, family history of hypertension, residence, or dyspeptic symptoms, indicating that current or past infection with H. pylori has no association with these variables. The current H. pylori infection group showed the highest levels of inflammatory markers, ESR and CRP, which were significantly different from those in the non-infected group (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001, respectively). The median (IQR) of albuminuria levels in the current H. pylori infection group, the past H. pylori infection group, and the non-infected group were 125 (4.8-290), 7.6 (2.4-271), and 5.1 (1.2-173), respectively. The current H. pylori infection group showed the highest albuminuria level, which was significantly different from that of the non-infected group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

There might be an association between microalbuminuria levels, general inflammatory markers (ESR and CRP), and current H. pylori infection in type 2 diabetic patients.

Implementation of a nationwide population-level cancer screening in Bhutan: A programmatic experience

This article delves into Bhutan's adept execution of a nationwide cancer screening initiative within the Health Flagship Programme, concentrating on gastric, cervical, and breast cancers. Despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, infrastructure constraints, logistical complexities, health human resource shortages, and data management issues, the programme succeeded. The procurement and logistics management ensured the timely provision of essential medical equipment and test kits. Robust political commitment, a comprehensive advocacy programme, and community engagement were pivotal for the programme's success. Impressive screening coverage for all three cancers showcased the transformative impact on cancer care, integrating technology and fostering community involvement. Recommendations highlight the need for strengthened integration, strategic approaches, and ongoing evaluation, positioning Bhutan's programme as a potential model for nations facing similar health challenges.

Chitosan-modified molybdenum selenide mediated efficient killing of Helicobacter pylori and treatment of gastric cancer

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the major causes of gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric cancer. However, the acidic environment of the stomach and H. pylori resistance severely impair the antimicrobial efficacy of oral drugs. Here, a biocompatible chitosan-modified molybdenum selenide (MoSe2@CS) was designed for the simultaneous photothermal treatment of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. MoSe2@CS showed a photothermal conversion efficiency was as high as 45.7 %. In the H. pylori-infected mice model, MoSe2@CS displayed a high bacteriostasis ratio of 99.9 % upon near-infrared irradiation. The antimicrobial functionality was also proved by transcriptomic sequencing study, which showed that MoSe2@CS combined with NIR laser irradiation modulated the gene expression of a variety of H. pylori bioprocesses, including cell proliferation and inflammation-related pathways. Further gut flora analysis results indicated that MoSe2@CS mediated PTT of H. pylori did not affect the homeostasis of gut flora, which highlights its advantages over traditional antibiotic therapy. In addition, MoSe2@CS exhibited a good photothermal ablation effect and significantly inhibited gastric tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. The comprehensive application of MoSe2@CS in the PTT of H. pylori infection and gastric cancer provides a new avenue for the clinical treatment of H. pylori infection and related diseases.

Revolution of Helicobacter pylori treatment

Helicobacter pylori infection is a major global health concern, and its management has witnessed a revolutionary shift with the emergence of antibiotic resistance. In this review, I explore the mechanisms of H. pylori antibiotic resistance and highlight the critical need for susceptibility-based eradication treatments. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains requires innovative approaches to combat this resilient pathogen. I also delve into the importance of mass screening as a preventive strategy for early detection and intervention, describing my experience in Bhutan. Additionally, I explore promising alternatives, such as vaccination. The aim of this review is to provide insight into the evolving landscape of H. pylori treatment and highlight the need for a paradigm shift in the approach to combating this persistent bacterial infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection in humans and phytotherapy, probiotics, and emerging therapeutic interventions: a review

The global prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remains high, indicating a persistent presence of this pathogenic bacterium capable of infecting humans. This review summarizes the population demographics, transmission routes, as well as conventional and novel therapeutic approaches for H. pylori infection. The prevalence of H. pylori infection exceeds 30% in numerous countries worldwide and can be transmitted through interpersonal and zoonotic routes. Cytotoxin-related gene A (CagA) and vacuolar cytotoxin A (VacA) are the main virulence factors of H. pylori, contributing to its steep global infection rate. Preventative measures should be taken from people's living habits and dietary factors to reduce H. pylori infection. Phytotherapy, probiotics therapies and some emerging therapies have emerged as alternative treatments for H. pylori infection, addressing the issue of elevated antibiotic resistance rates. Plant extracts primarily target urease activity and adhesion activity to treat H. pylori, while probiotics prevent H. pylori infection through both immune and non-immune pathways. In the future, the primary research focus will be on combining multiple treatment methods to effectively eradicate H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori Antibiotic Resistance: Molecular Basis and Diagnostic Methods

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common cause of human infections. Infected patients develop chronic active gastritis in all cases, which can lead to peptic ulcer, atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer and gastric MALT-lymphoma. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in the population has regional characteristics and can reach 80%. Constantly increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori is a major cause of treatment failure and a major problem. According to the VI Maastricht Consensus, two main strategies for choosing eradication therapy are recommended: individualized based on evaluating sensitivity to antibacterial drugs (phenotypic or molecular genetic method) prior to their appointment, and empirical, which takes into account data on local H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin and monitoring effectiveness schemes in the region. Therefore, the determination of H. pylori resistance to antibiotics, especially clarithromycin, prior to choosing therapeutic strategy is extremely important for the implementation of these treatment regimens.

Drug Resistance Patterns of Commonly Used Antibiotics for the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection among South Asian Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: In South Asia, resistance to commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection is increasing. Despite this, accurate estimates of overall antibiotic resistance are missing. Thus, this review aims to analyze the resistance rates of commonly used antibiotics for the treatment of H. pylori in South Asia. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. We searched five medical databases for relevant studies from inception to September 2022. A random effect model with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of antibiotic resistance. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included 23 articles, 6357 patients, 3294 Helicobacter pylori isolates, and 2192 samples for antibiotic resistance. The prevalences of antibiotic resistance to common antibiotics were clarithromycin: 27% (95%CI: 0.17–0.38), metronidazole: 69% (95%CI: 0.62–0.76), tetracycline: 16% (95%CI: 0.06–0.25), amoxicillin: 23% (95%CI: 0.15–0.30), ciprofloxacin: 12% (95%CI: 0.04–0.23), levofloxacin: 34% (95%CI: 0.22–0.47), and furazolidone: 14% (95%CI: 0.06–0.22). Subgroup analysis showed antibiotic resistances were more prevalent in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Furthermore, a ten-year trend analysis showed the increasing resistance prevalence for clarithromycin (21% to 30%), ciprofloxacin (3% to 16%), and tetracycline (5% to 20%) from 2003 to 2022. Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed a high prevalence of resistance among the commonly used antibiotics for H. pylori in South Asian countries. Furthermore, antibiotic resistance has been increasing over the time of 20 years. In order to tackle this situation, a robust surveillance system, and strict adherence to antibiotic stewardship are required.

The prevalence of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori isolates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Knowledge of global clarithromycin (CLA)-resistant rates of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is crucial for decision of the most appropriate eradication therapies with good clinical outcomes. Therefore, this review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of the CLA resistance in H. pylori to provide some guidance for selecting the first-line antibiotics.

Method

A comprehensive search was performed for relevant literature until April 2021 in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation was performed to estimate the weighted pooled prevalence of resistance.

Results

The meta-analysis included 248 articles. The prevalence of CLA-resistant H. pylori was 27.53% (95% CI [25.41-29.69]). The heterogeneity between reports was significant (I² = 97.80%, P < 0.01). The resistance rate increased from 24.28% in 2010-2017 to 32.14% in 2018-2021 (P < 0.01). Iran, with 38 articles, has the most report. Nevertheless, Switzerland, Portugal, and Israel had the highest resistance rates (67.16%, 48.11%, and 46.12%, respectively). The heterogeneity between the continents and the antimicrobial susceptibility methods also interpreted standard guidelines and breakpoints was insignificant (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Overall CLA resistance rate was 27.53%, worldwide. The difference in CLA resistance rate among the included studies can be due to several reasons such as differences in antibiotic prescription rates in various geographic areas, use of different breakpoints or inaccurate criteria in performed studies, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains.

Treatment strategies and pharmacist-led medication management for Helicobacter pylori infection

Half of the world's population is Helicobacter pylori carrier. Updated guidelines and consensus have been issued across regions with the main aim of reducing social transmission and increasing H. pylori eradication rate. Although alternative therapies including traditional Chinese medicine and probiotics have also been used to improve H. pylori eradication rate in clinical practice, current mainstream treatment is still dependent on triple and quadruple therapies that includes antibacterial agents (e.g., amoxicillin and furazolidone) and proton pump inhibitor. Researches also assessed the eradication rate of optimized high-dose dual therapy in treating H. pylori infection. With the increase of antibiotic resistance rate, the treatment strategies for H. pylori infection are constantly adjusted and improved. Besides, low medication compliance is another key influencing factor for H. pylori treatment failure. Emerging studies indicate that pharmacists' intervention and new pharmaceutical care methods can enhance patient medication compliance, reduce adverse drug reactions, and improve H. pylori eradication rate. The purpose of this review is to summarize the advances in treating H. pylori infection and highlight the necessity of developing novel strategies to cope with the increasing challenges and to achieve personalized medication. Also, this review attaches great importance to pharmacists in optimizing H. pylori treatment outcomes as a routine part of therapy.

Incidence trends and disparities in Helicobacter pylori related malignancy among US adults, 2000-2019

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is closely related to the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer (GC) and gastric non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). However, the systemic trend analysis in H. pylori-related malignancy is limited. We aimed to determine the national incidence trend in non-cardia GC, cardia GC, and gastric NHL in the US during 2000-2019.

Method

In this population-based study, we included 186,769 patients with a newly diagnosed H. pylori-related malignancy, including non-cardia GC, cardia GC, and gastric NHL from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2019. We determined the age-adjusted incidence of three H. pylori-related malignancies respectively. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) in 2000-2019 was calculated to describe the incidence trends. Analyses were stratified by sex, age, race and ethnicity, geographic location and SEER registries. We also determined the 5-year incidence (during 2015-2019) by SEER registries to examine the geographic variance.

Results

The incidence in non-cardia GC and gastric NHL significantly decreased during 2000-2019, while the rate plateaued for cardia GC (AAPCs, -1.0% [95% CI, -1.1%-0.9%], -2.6% [95% CI, -2.9%-2.3%], and -0.2% [95% CI, -0.7%-0.3%], respectively). For non-cardia GC, the incidence significantly increased among individuals aged 20-64 years (AAPC, 0.8% [95% CI, 0.6-1.0%]). A relative slower decline in incidence was also observed for women (AAPC, -0.4% [95% CI, -0.6%-0.2%], P for interaction < 0.05). The incidence of cardia GC reduced dramatically among Hispanics (AAPC, -0.8% [95% CI, -1.4%-0.3%]), however it increased significantly among nonmetropolitan residents (AAPC, 0.8% [95% CI, 0.4-1.3%]). For gastric NHL, the decreasing incidence were significantly slower for those aged 20-64 years (AAPC, -1.5% [95% CI, -1.9-1.1%]) and Black individuals (AAPC, -1.3% [95% CI, -1.9-1.1%]). Additionally, the highest incidence was observed among Asian and the Black for non-cardia GC, while Whites had the highest incidence of cardia GC and Hispanics had the highest incidence of gastric NHL (incidence rate, 8.0, 8.0, 3.1, and 1.2, respectively) in 2019. Geographic variance in incidence rates and trends were observed for all three H. pylori-related malignancies. The geographic disparities were more pronounced for non-cardia GC, with the most rapid decline occurring in Hawaii (AAPC, -4.5% [95% CI, -5.5-3.6%]) and a constant trend in New York (AAPC 0.0% [95% CI, -0.4-0.4%]), the highest incidence in Alaska Natives, and the lowest incidence among Iowans (14.3 and 2.3, respectively).

Conclusion

The incidence of H. pylori-related cancer declined dramatically in the US between 2000 and 2019, with the exception of cardia GC. For young people, a rising trend in non-cardia GC was noted. Existence of racial/ethnic difference and geographic diversity persists. More cost-effective strategies of detection and management for H. pylori are still in demand.

Stomach Cancer Screening Services of Bhutan

Stomach cancer is a common public health problem in South East Asia including Bhutan. Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori is regarded as the principal cause of stomach cancer. Herein, we present the incidence of stomach cancer in Bhutan for eight years (from 2014 to 2021). We also discuss the steps taken for the prevention and early detection of stomach cancer.

Molecular Docking of Anti Helicobacter pylori Antibiotics and Proton Pump Inhibitor: A Single Center Survey

Helicobacter pylorus (H. pylori) is a deadly bacterium responsible for significant worldwide Gastric Cancer (GC) related mortality. The present study aimed to screen all the anti-microbial drugs used to eradicate H .pylori infection and to identify the most efficient drug by using computational methods through molecular docking analysis. The 3-D structure of protein chorismate synthase of H. pylori was downloaded from the Protein data bank (PDB) online browser. The x-ray crystallography structures of 13 common drugs used against H.pylori infection were also downloaded from the drug bank. We screened all 13 common drugs through molecular docking to know the most efficient binding interaction between the diverse ligand-protein complexes. The results were further compared with clinical survey data from the patients with diverse gastrointestinal H. pylori infected cases. Among the screened compounds, by in-silico approach we found that fluoroquinolone (FLRQ) and tetracycline (TET) manifested more significant interactions with chorismate synthase (CS) protein along with binding energies of -9.2 and -8.1 kcal/mole respectively. Further, the drugs were also corroborated with the survey data from patients with varied gastrointestinal disorders in our study. With this computational study, we could find FLRQ and TET may be the most efficient drug for H. pylori treatment, which can be tried in case of anti H. Pylori treatment failure due to resistance. Hence, effective inter-analysis between the experimental and computational approaches is crucial to build up a strong inhibitor.