Treatment of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection 2012

Helicobacter pylori resistance rates to antibiotics vary in different countries and even in different regions of the same country. Choice of treatment is strongly dependent on antibiotic resistance rates. In some countries, triple therapy with a proton-pump inhibitor, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin is still the best option, but eradication results fall short of what would be desired (90-95%) in countries with clarithromycin resistance >20%, bismuth-containing quadruple therapy, or nonbismuth sequential or concomitant therapies may then be the preferred option. Newer antibiotic regimens are awaited. Vaccination would be the best option, especially for developing countries, but little progress has been made in designing a vaccine.