title: Role of childhood infection in the sequelae of H. pylori disease.
abstract: The persistence of Helicobacter pylori infection plays a fundamental role in the development of H. pylori-associated complications. Since the majority of infected persons acquire the bacteria during early childhood, an examination of the immunobiology of H. pylori infection in children compared with that of adults may help identify host factors that contribute to persistent infection. Therefore, we begin our review of the role of persistence in H. pylori disease with an assessment of the clinical features of H. pylori infection in children. We next review the bacterial factors that promote colonization and evasion of host defense mechanisms. We then focus our attention on the early host immunological factors that promote persistence of the infection and its complications in humans and mouse models. We also highlight topics in which further research is needed. An examination of how immunological factors cause divergent manifestations of H. pylori infection in children compared with adults may provide new insight for therapeutic modification or prevention of persistent H. pylori infection and its complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatrics; Unit of Gastroenterology and Nutrition; School of Medicine; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile; Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Microbiology; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Lesley E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Smythies
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Microbiology; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Birmingham, AL USA; VA Medical Center; Birmingham, AL USA.
authors.forename: Phillip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Microbiology; Langone Medical Center; New York University School of Medicine; New York, NY USA.
authors.forename: Guillermo I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Perez-Perez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004848:Epithelium / Q000382:microbiology; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D064307:Microbiota; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; cancer; children; infection