THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI

The epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection remains controversia l. The exact route of transmission is still unknown and there is debat e as to whether adult infection is a significant factor in disease. Ho wever, epidemiology has played a major role in helping us to understan d the patterns of disease, and it was epidemiological data that confir med the association of the bacterium with gastric cancer. It is now 15 years after the discovery and isolation of H. pylori, and many questi ons relating to the epidemiology of this bacterium have been delineate d; however, there still remains a number of important issues that requ ire clarification. This chapter aims to provide the reader with a clea r picture of the established facts in relation to the epidemiology of H. pylori, to outline current areas of epidemiological research and to discuss the clinical implications of epidemiological studies.