Non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter (NHPH)

Non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter (NHPH) refers to a group of spiral-shaped, Gram-negative, urease-positive bacteria that colonize the gastric mucosa of humans and animals. While Helicobacter pylori is the most common gastric pathogen, NHPH species such as H. heilmannii, H. suis, and H. felis are increasingly recognized as significant causes of gastric pathology, including chronic gastritis and MALT lymphoma (Source: PMID: 29403380). These organisms utilize the enzyme urease to neutralize gastric acid by producing ammonia, allowing them to survive in the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. Clinical management typically mirrors H. pylori eradication protocols, utilizing a combination of proton pump inhibitors and broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, NHPH infections are often underdiagnosed due to their fastidious growth requirements and the limitations of standard diagnostic tests, frequently requiring molecular methods like PCR for definitive identification (Source: PMID: 31643458).

Other names

Non-pylori Helicobacter speciesGastric NHPHHelicobacter heilmannii sensu latoUrease-positive non-pylori gastric bacteria

Therapeutic strategies involve the use of multi-drug regimens including proton pump inhibitors to increase gastric pH and antibiotics to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis (beta-lactams), protein synthesis (macrolides/tetracyclines), or DNA replication (fluoroquinolones/nitroimidazoles) (Source: PMID: 33114340).