According to media reports on August 5th， a 28-year-old woman from Henan， who had been suffering from persistent bad breath for four to five years without significant concern， was diagnosed with a chronic Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection during a health check-up.
Her gastroscopy results revealed atrophic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia， a condition that has progressed to a precancerous state for gastric cancer.
The report also mentioned that the woman’s father had previously sought medical attention for long-term bad breath， which ultimately led to a diagnosis of gastric cancer. He is currently recovering six months after his surgery.
The woman shared that during her university days， she frequently ordered takeout and her meals were consistently characterized by high oil， high salt， and strong flavors. She also had a fondness for spicy food， to the extent that she would eat raw chili peppers.
Following her diagnosis of atrophic gastritis， she experienced a significant weight loss of 30 jin (approximately 15 kg). She expressed a strong desire for the public to take H. pylori infections seriously and undergo regular screenings.
Information indicates that H. pylori is a gram-negative spiral bacterium found in the gastric mucosa. It thrives in a microaerobic environment， is positive for oxidase and catalase， possesses a smooth cell wall， and has one to five flagella， which are unsheathed and form spherical tips.
H. pylori can reduce stomach acidity， allowing bacteria that cannot normally survive in the stomach to proliferate. This can damage the gastric mucosa， leading to the stomach acid corroding normal tissues. Ulcers that do not heal over prolonged periods are susceptible to perforation， and persistent cellular abnormalities can eventually lead to cancerous transformation.
In 2017， the World Health Organization officially classified H. pylori as a Group 1 carcinogen， highlighting its proven carcinogenic potential in humans.
