Ultra-low-cost Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori in Rural India

Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori, is a spiral-shaped bacterium that grows in the mucus layer that coats the inside of the human stomach. It is an old recognized bacteria, which has coexisted within the human stomach for many thousands of years. Presence of H. Pylori is associated with gastric cancer, which is third leading cause of death around the world.

Endoscopic assessment and biopsies of the stomach can assist in the diagnosis of H. Pylori ulcers and cancer.  Unfortunately, upper endoscopy is expensive and not mobile---making it inaccessible for low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to utilize on a large scale.  Our team has created an ultra-low cost endoscope for exploration and biopsy of the upper gastrointestinal tract.  We hope to address the challenges of LMIC and to strengthen and broaden our collaborations with clinical partners in India.