Intrastrain differences in Helicobacter pylori: a key question in mucosal damage?
Helicobacter pylori causes persistent infection and inflammation in the human stomach, yet only a small fraction of infected people develop illness. An important question is why this diversity exists in infection outcome. In recent years, there has been evidence of substantial phenotypic as well as genotypic diversity of H. pylori. Three different phenotypes--production of vacuolating cytotoxin, presence of cagA, and ability for strong PMN activation--appear to be linked to one another and to the propensity for a H. pylori strain to cause peptic ulcer disease. Further investigation in this field may help to define which infected people bear the highest risk for serious clinical consequences, and ultimately to define optimal vaccine candidates and strategies.
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-2605, USA.
M J
MJ
Blaser
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D018375:Neutrophil Activation; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori