Answer: Bacterial
Notes: Researchers developed FELUDA, a low-cost diagnostic tool for detecting H. pylori and its mutations in dyspeptic patients in rural India with limited lab access. H. pylori is a common bacterium in the digestive tract, infecting over 43% of the world’s population and causing peptic ulcers, gastritis, dyspepsia, and gastric cancer. It survives in the stomach by reducing acidity and penetrating the lining, evading immune cells. Symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Treatment involves a 14-day triple therapy using antibiotics and a proton-pump inhibitor to reduce stomach acid.
