Is chronic gastritis contagious?
In this sense, chronic gastritis is not contagious. It is an inflammation of the stomach lining. In cases where the gastritis was caused by colonization with the germ Helicobacter pylori, there is theoretically a low risk of transmitting the germ from one person to another.
The exact infection mechanism is not yet known. However, colonization with the bacterium does not automatically mean that gastritis develops. There are many people who carry the germ but have an inconspicuous mucous membrane.
Duration of gastritis
A chronic gastritis often goes unnoticed for a long time. Sometimes it causes complaints such as loss of appetite, burning / pain in the upper abdomen or nausea. If left untreated, the gastritis is chronic, so it often does not heal on its own.
If treatment is initiated, either by medication or by omitting triggering factors, improvement can occur within weeks or months. If symptoms occur, a relatively quick relief of the symptoms can usually be achieved by taking acid inhibitors (e.g. Pantoprazole).
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