Helicobacter pylori eradication: are there alternatives to antibiotics?

It is now generally accepted that infection with Helicobacter pylori is an important cause of peptic ulcer disease and that eradication of this organism greatly reduces the recurrence rate of ulcers. H. pylori also can cause chronic gastritis and hypochlorhydria and is a risk factor for gastric cancer. Conventional eradication therapies, which consist of two antibiotics plus either a proton-pump inhibitor or a bismuth compound, are highly effective, but can cause significant side effects in some cases. Alternative methods of eradicating H. pylori are therefore being investigated. To date, the research in this area is still preliminary, and no treatment has emerged as a clear alternative to the conventional triple-therapy regimens.