Helicobacter pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease in childhood.

Helicobacter pylori is responsible for one of the most frequently encountered infectious diseases worldwide. Infection due to H pylori can lead to the development of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. The presence of H pylori in the human stomach also represents an increased risk for gastric cancer and gastric lymphoma. Recent epidemiologic data obtained in adults suggest that the actual colonization with H pylori is in fact determined by childhood factors. Therefore, the pediatric age group represents the ideal target population for studies concerning the pathogenesis and epidemiology of H pylori infection. This review addresses the spectrum of H pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease in childhood.