title: Helicobacter pylori and autoimmune diseases.
abstract: It is now widely accepted that Helicobacter pylori may play a role in several extra-gastric diseases. In particular, H. pylori infection seems to be implicated in various autoimmune diseases. Many recent studies have shown a healing or an improvement in different autoimmune disorders after H. pylori eradication therapy in infected patients. The exact mechanisms behind this relationship remain under discussion, but molecular mimicry is a consistent hypothesis. This subject is particularly relevant taking into consideration the high prevalence of H. pylori infection, the existence of inexpensive and noninvasive diagnostic methods, as the urea breath test or the stool antigen test, and the low cost and toxicity of eradication treatment. If this connection becomes confirmed, it can change the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of some autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Prof.-Fernando-Fonseca, Estrada IC 19, 2720-276 Amadora, Portugal. red_kica@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faria
authors.forename: Raed
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zakout
authors.forename: Mascarenhas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Araújo
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014508:Urea