The Primary Cause of Ulcers Was Downplayed

Even laypeople have learned in the past several years that a major cause of ulcers is infection by Helicobacter pylori, and that an effective treatment for such ulcers is antibiotics. Why hasn’t Health columnist Kristl Buluran (“Don’t Let Ulcers Get So Bad You Need Surgery,” Feb. 15) kept up?

--IRWIN B. MARGILOFF

Via e-mail

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In the article by Kristl Buluran on Feb. 15, I was surprised that there was only one mention (the last sentence) of the involvement of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. It is my understanding that this bacterium is considered to be the main cause of stomach ulcers and that the infection commonly can be cured with antibiotic therapy. Surgery is a last resort now.

--JIM SIMS

Professor, department of plant pathology

UC Riverside