Discussion on the common controversies of Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) can persistently colonize on the gastric mucosa after infection and cause gastritis, atrophy, metaplasia, and even gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: Therefore, the detection and eradication of H. pylori are the prerequisite. RESULTS: Clinically, there are some controversial issues, such as why H. pylori infection is persistent, why it translocases along with the lesser curvature of the stomach, why there is oxyntic antralization, what the immunological characteristic of gastric chronic inflammation caused by H. pylori is, whether H. pylori infection is associated with extra-gastric diseases, whether chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is reversible, and what the potential problems are after H. pylori eradication. What are the possible answers? CONCLUSION: In the review, we will discuss these issues from the attachment to eradication in detail.