Stomach ulcers are caused by a very clever bacterium - Helicobacter pylori. It must be destroyed with an antibiotic, because an untreated disease can, under certain conditions, turn into a tumor. What are the symptoms of Helicobacter pylori infection?

The discovery thatstomach ulcersare caused by bacteriaHelicobacter pyloriwas a real breakthrough in gastroenterology. This statement turned out to be beneficial for patients who have been struggling with ulcers for years. Since bacteria is the cause of peptic ulcer disease, it can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Until 1982, when this discovery was made, peptic ulcer disease was treated only with a restrictive diet and drugs that neutralize hydrochloric acid and reduce its secretion. But the results were not satisfactory: the inflammation in the stomach lining could not be healed, the patients suffered severe pain, and the disease progressed. Bleeding from ulcers has often occurred, and this is life threatening. Even today, untreated peptic ulcer disease has serious complications, but we have drugs that treat it effectively.

Helicobacter pylori - a misfit among bacteria

The tracking by scientists of the bacteria that resides in the gastric mucosa has also revolutionized the views of microbiologists. The overwhelming number of microorganisms that cause human infections requires strictly defined and stable conditions for life, e.g. an almost acid-neutral environment. Meanwhile, the stomach has extremely low pH values, additionally it contains enzymes that can digest organic substances. Only the bacteriumHelicobacter pyloritolerates these conditions perfectly. They do not prevent it from colonizing the mucosa. What's more - she developed a strategy to survive in the stomach for decades! To do this, after penetrating the body, bacteria relatively quickly move from the acidic contents of the stomach to the area with slightly more favorable living conditions - to the mucin layer that covers the gastric mucosa. Mucin is somewhat alkaline, and since gastric acid molecules do not penetrate into it, the pH value remains at a constant level of around 7, favored by Helicobacter pylori. Food that goes into the stomach also feeds bacteria. It is a rich source of sugars andamino acids necessary for their development.

Helicobacter pylori causes inflammation

Multiplication of bacteria causes inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which is the body's defensive reaction. Unfortunately, it is usually not enough to eliminate bacteria, because the mucin, in which the Helicobacter pylori colonies live, is not reached by neutrophils - white blood cells responsible for absorbing bacteria. The longer the inflammatory reaction lasts and increases, the more the gastric mucosa is damaged. This process will inevitably lead to an ulcer over time. The mechanism by whichHelicobacter pyloridestroys the gastric mucosa is proven, but it remains a mystery how chronic inflammation caused by these bacteria turns into uncontrolled neoplastic growth.

Helicobacter pylori - the perpetrator of gene mutations

Scientists suspect thatHelicobacter pyloricauses gene mutations that lead to loss of primary cell functions and their uncontrolled and unlimited division. The effect of chronicHelicobacter pyloriinfection on the development of intestinal gastric cancer is well documented. In addition, it has been proven that long-term stimulation of the immune system as a result of infection with this bacterium carries the risk of developing the so-called MALT lymphomas - tumors of the lymphatic tissue of the gastrointestinal tract, which are most often located on the gastric mucosa.

Important

Where does Helicobacter pylori come from?

The probability that a patient whose stomach becomes infected with Helicobacter pylori will develop ulcers is approx. 10%. Scientists are still not able to clearly say which way these bacteria spread. Water and food may be the source of the infection. There is no clear evidence for this, however, as for the popular thesis that Helicobacter pylori is transmitted from person to person.

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Gastrology