81.   Before starting treatment patients were talked to and were given an information sheet on the basic concepts of the pathophysiology of H pylori infection.

82.   Eradication was defined as no evidence of H pylori infection four weeks after stopping the study medication.

83.   H pylori infection was a strong predictor of ulcer recurrences.

84.   A very strong association of H pylori infection of the gastric mucosa with chronic active type B gastritis and duodenal ulcer has been clearly established by now.

85.   Therefore, additional evidence clearly pointing to a causal relation between H pylori infection and gastric ulcer disease has to be provided.

86.   When is Helicobacter pylori infection acquired?

87.   Cross sectional surveys have shown an increasing prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection with increasing age in Western populations.

88.   These data suggest that a cohort effect may contribute to the pattern of increasing prevalence of H pylori infection seen with increasing age.

89.   One explanation for this finding would be that H pylori infection is acquired by people throughout their lives.

90.   In conclusion, our findings suggest that H pylori infection may have been predominantly acquired at a young age in the past.