Helicobacter pylori Infection - Advances, Challenges, and the Road Ahead.

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori has revolutionized the prevention and treatment of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and, most important, gastric cancer. In the past 40 years, enormous progress has been achieved in the clinical and basic research on H. pylori infection. However, challenges in preventing and treating H. pylori infection exist owing to the lack of an H. pylori vaccine and the ever-increasing resistance to antibiotics worldwide. This review summarizes the history of and key milestones in H. pylori research, provides an update on the understanding of the pathogenesis and global burden of H. pylori infection and the screening strategy for the primary prevention of gastric cancer, and focuses on the emerging trends in the management of H. pylori infection.