Determinants of disease outcome following Helicobacter pylori infection inchildren

Helicobacter pylori infection is primarily acquired during childhood, cause s chronic, active gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, and is associated wit h the development of gastric malignancies. However, only a small number of infected individuals ever develop the more severe sequelae of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancers. Therefore, the identification of bacterial and host factors that play a role in determining the outcomes and pathophysiol ogy of infection is a major focus of current research. Recent advances in t he understanding of disease pathogenesis are critically considered, with pa rticular reference to the pediatric population.