RAPID RECURRENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN PERUVIAN PATIENTS AFTER SUCCESSFUL ERADICATION

Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastritis, peptic ulcer disease , and gastric cancer, Since gastric cancer is common in Peru, eradicat ion of H. pylori may help to reduce the occurrence of gastric cancer, This study involved three randomized trials to determine the efficacy of four different triple-drug therapy regimens, The most successful re gimen was furazolidone combined with bismuth subsalicylate and amoxici llin, which eradicated infection in 82% of patients, Patients successf ully treated were followed every 2-3 months to determine the recurrenc e rate of H. pylori infection, Of 105 patients with H. pylori eradicat ion documented by pathology and culture, 52% (55) returned for follow- up endoscopy, and in 73% (40) of these 55 the infection recurred durin g the 8-month follow-up period, Thirty-five patients from whom H. pylo ri was eradicated and who were tested for antibodies to H. pylori rema ined consistently seropositive, Rapid recurrence of H. pylori infectio n after successful eradication suggests that measures other than antim icrobial therapy are needed to fight H. pylori in developing countries .