In the past year, several studies have been carried out on the association
between Helicobacter pylori infection and a miscellany of extradigestive di
seases, such as cardiovascular, immunological, and various other pathologie
s. In particular, a higher prevalence of H pylori infection in patients aff
ected by ischaemic heart disease has been described and there is growing ev
idence for an association between H pylori and some autoimmune diseases. Mo
reover, recent studies have shown that various helicobacter species have be
en detected in human bile; if confirmed, this finding could revise the diag
nostic and therapeutic approach to diseases of the biliary tract.