title: Attitude to Helicobacter pylori infection among Swiss gastroenterologists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current attitude to Helicobacter pylori infection in Switzerland, since a review of the literature reveals few publications dealing with application of therapeutic recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The initial diagnostic methods, the indications for eradication therapy, the therapeutic regimen and its duration, together with eradication control, were indicated in questionnaires sent out to the members of the Swiss Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the beginning of 1997.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Helicobacter pylori was diagnosed mainly with a rapid urease test and/or histology. Peptic ulcer disease (100%), mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (94.5%) and therapy-resistant dyspepsia (78.7%) were clear indications for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Only a minority eradicated Helicobacter pylori in all positive subjects. 7-day triple therapy (with proton pump inhibitors, a macrolide antibiotic and an imidazole derivative) is the preferred first line treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The eradication of Helicobacter pylori in ulcer disease is established practice. Non-ulcer dyspepsia remains a controversial but often used indication. Two antibiotics together with proton pump inhibitors constitute the mostly widely used eradication therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen. MCOA1@ms1.kssg.ch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Binek
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fantin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003710:Demography; D005762:Gastroenterology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland