A medical scientist with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, Prof. Stella Smith, has decried the neglect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a pathogen that causes peptic ulcer infections.

Prof. Smith said Helicobacter pylori are a neglected pathogen, adding that about 50 per cent of the world’s population is infected.

According to her, the need for accurate diagnosis and treatment led to the formation of the African Helicobacter & Microbiota Study Group.

She said that the treatment for H. Pylori was based on a recommended antisecretory combination of drugs and antibiotics.

“Unfortunately, due to misuse and overuse of antibiotics, several bacterial pathogens including H. pylori have developed resistance to antibiotics.

“This is posing a big challenge to the effective treatment and eradication of H. pylori infection.

“There is no treatment regimen which guarantees cure of H. pylori infection in 100 per cent of patients,” she said.

The researcher said that the selected treatments must consider local antibiotic resistance patterns (if known), previous exposure and allergies to specific antibiotics, cost, side effects, and ease of administration.

“With the widespread number of resistance studies showing to commonly prescribed antibiotics in Africa, it is time to produce a consensus guideline to guide clinicians on the choice of antibiotic combination for H. pylori eradication,” she said.

She urged people with the infection to go for proper medical evaluation and treatment and also embrace good hygiene.

She called for necessary precautions to prevent the infection and further appealed to those infected to seek prompt medical attention.