Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has raised concerns over the widespread but often overlooked bacterial infection, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).
This silent pathogen, which infects the stomach lining, is responsible for conditions such as gastritis, peptic ulcers, and, in severe cases, gastric cancer.
Director of Research and Professor of Microbiology at NIMR, Professor Stella Smith highlighted the shocking prevalence in Nigeria while speaking in Lagos on Thursday, stating, “Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach of 43 per cent of the world’s population, but in Nigeria, the prevalence is a staggering 85-87 per cent. Yet, it remains largely ignored, underfunded, and misunderstood.”
Professor Smith, who has dedicated years to studying the pathogen, warned that H. pylori poses a significant public health challenge, particularly in children.
“We found that 80 per cent of H. pylori-positive cases were children under 10 in some regions,” she revealed. She emphasized the bacteria’s ability to persist undetected for decades, leading to severe complications like gastric cancer.
Alarmingly, a seven-year study by NIMR found that “95 per cent of H. pylori strains were resistant to metronidazole (Flagyl),” underscoring the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance due to improper treatment.
Despite being a treatable bacterial infection, many Nigerians fail to complete the required antibiotic regimen, exacerbating resistance.
“People take antibiotics for a few days, feel better, and stop, fuelling this resistance,” Smith explained.
She called for urgent action to improve awareness, diagnostic methods, and treatment adherence, stressing that “People are being told it’s not treatable, that they just need to manage symptoms with PPIs. That’s simply not true. It’s a bacterial infection; it can be eradicated.”
