HELICOBACTER-PYLORI - ASSOCIATED GASTRODUODENAL DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD

Helicobacter pylori is responsible for one of the most frequently enco untered infectious diseases worldwide. Infection due to H pylori can l ead to the development of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. The pres ence of H pylori in the human stomach also represents an increased ris k for gastric cancer and gastric lymphoma. Recent epidemiologic data o btained in adults suggest that the actual colonization with H pylori i s in fact determined by childhood factors. Therefore, the pediatric ag e group represents the ideal target population for studies concerning the pathogenesis and epidemiology of H pylori infection. This review a ddresses the spectrum of H pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease in childhood.