Objective. To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori resistance to and the possible mutations that generate this worldwide resistance. Materials and methods. A systematic search for literature was performed in the databases Medline, Science Direct (Elsevier), Ovid, PubMed, Lilacs
and MedicLatina using relevant key words. Data extraction was independent and checklists were prepared to assess the methodological
quality of the studies. Analysis of information was done with RevMan 5®. Results. We found Helicobacter pylori resistance prevalence rates of 1% for North America, 8% for Central and South America, 5% for Asia, and 2% for Europe. The mutation associated to this resistance is in the 16S rDNA gene at nucleotide position 967TTC to AGA965 responsible of high resistance to tetracycline. Conclusions. Antibiotic resistance is one of the causes most associated to treatment failure in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori, as well as poor adherence to treatment and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. We also evidenced that the rate of tetracycline resistance is higher when
it is used in a second treatment scheme. The distribution of resistance is variable in different areas and it is important to know these resistances to avoid treatment failures.
Key words: Helicobacter pylori, tetracycline, resistance, mutation, treatment, epidemiology, 16S rRNA.