[SUMMARY OF THE ISRAEL GASTROENTEROLOGY ASSOCIATION (IGA) GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI IN 2019].

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection remains a challenge for both primary care physicians and gastroenterologists. Over the past years, resistance of Hp to antibiotics has increased in Israel and abroad. Macrolide resistance remains the single most important factor responsible for failure to eradicate the organism. Effective treatment for the eradication of Hp must consider local resistance patterns. For this reason, representatives with clinical and research experience in the field of Hp convened under the auspices of the Israel Gastroenterology Association (IGA) to review the medical literature regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Hp, with particular emphasis on studies emanating from our region, and to develop local guidelines. The IGA does not recommend the use of clarithromycin-based triple therapy for the first-line treatment of Hp infection. Options for the first-line treatment of Hp infection include concomitant therapy, bismuth-based quadruple therapy and sequential therapy. Additional recommendations highlight the need to treat Hp whenever it is diagnosed, given its oncogenic potential, while adhering to the outlined indications for testing. The IGA calls for prospective studies to assess the comparative efficacy of different treatment protocols in Israel.