A Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Prof. Stella Smith has attributed the high prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori (H.Pylori) in the country to Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and ineffective diagnosis.
Smith, a Director at the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology department in NIMR, made this known at the institute’s monthly media chat in Lagos on Tuesday.
The scientist said H. pylori is one of the bacterium that causes inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) and peptic ulcers.
She said that the bacterium could be treated and cured if patient adhere strictly to prescribed antibiotics but noted that misuse of antibiotics over the years had increase its prevalence.
The scientists noted that the prevalence of the germs is higher in the northern part of the country compared to the southern region.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 50 to 75 per cent of people globally are infected with H. pylori, with higher prevalence in developing countries.
“Helicobacter pylori can be cured with two sets of antibiotics over a period of 10 to 14 days but most times people take drugs for three days and discontinue the drugs once they feel better, and that is one of the problem of AMR.
“I led a study funded by German research foundation for seven years where we looked at over a thousand biopsies and discovered 95 per cent of the bacterium were resistance to flagyl, which is one of the antibiotics used to treat H. Pylori.
“Flagyl is used to treat infections like diarrhea and others and we keep misusing it and that is why the resistance in flagyl is high,” she said.
The scientist noted that children under the ages of ten could acquire the bacterium hence the need for proper diagnosis and effective treatment.
She added that in spite of the high prevalence of H.pylori in the country, there are minimal cases of gastric cancer, which is one of the risk factors.
She urged Nigerians to eat more vegetables and fruits to potentially prevent or reduce the risk of H. pylori infection and avoid spicy and canned foods.
NAN
