Download Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori
Jayli Schmidt
History
• Discovered in 1982 by Barry Marshall and
Robin Warren
– They won the Nobel Prize in 2005 for this
discovery
• Discovery proved that several diseases of the
stomach were of microbial cause when no
microorganism was thought to be able to
survive in there before the discovery
• Previously named Campylobacter pyloridis
Example of the Disease
Sara started coming down with the
symptoms of a burning stomach that
worsened when it was empty and felt better
after she ate. She also had abnormal burping
and bloating. It was so bothersome that she
went to the doctor and had an endoscopy
performed. The tissue was cultured and
proved to be Helicobacter pylori bacteria. The
doctors gave her two different antibiotics
(commonly including Amoxicillin) which she
took for three weeks straight.
cont.
After finishing the course of antibiotics she
returned to the doctor and was retested for
the presence of H. pylori which was proved
that there were still remaining bacteria. She
was then given more antibiotics for another
duration (which is common) and returned
again for retesting. Once the absence of the
bacteria was proven she was free from
infection and told to watch for recurring
symptoms.
Characteristics of H. pylori
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Bacteria (gram negative)
Spiral “s” shaped (some are also rods)
2 to 5um in length
Motile
Microaerophillic
Contain multiple flagella
Virulence factors: multiple flagella to help with
burrowing, ability to live in extreme acidity
(beneficial in the stomach) , enzyme urease (to
weaken the acidity)
Facts
• Over half the people in
the world are living
with Helicobacter pylori
in there stomachs and
will never come down
with an infection
• It is the first formally
recognized bacterial
carcinogen and is one
of the most successful
human pathogens
Characteristics
• Mode of transmission is thought to be food,
water, or airborne, mostly starting in
childhood
• Infection can occur after 3-4 days or can take
the span of childhood to adulthood
• Symptoms: burning of the stomach, excessive
burping, bloating, vomiting, bloody or black
stool, prolonged abdominal pain
• Most cases are asymptomatic
Pathophysiology
Helicobacter pylori enters the stomach and
begins to burrow into the mucosal lining. Their
unique spiral shape and multiple flagella help
them penetrate it. Once inside, they produce
the enzyme urease which makes the mucosal
layer more basic. The alkalinity changes the
environment, causing the lining of the stomach
to weaken and ulcers can result because it can
no longer handle the stomach acid or pepsin
produced. Once the bacteria burrows, the
immune system cannot stop it or reach it.
Diagnostic Process
• The patient can come in for a number of tests
including:
– Breath tests (testing for Urea in the breath which is
produced by the bacteria in the stomach)
• Patient commonly blows up a balloon or bag
– Blood test
• Blood is checked for antibodies that stick to H. pylori which
would reveal a current infection
– Endoscopy
• Doctors sends utensil into stomach to retrieve a tissue
sample to be cultured in the lab and identified as H. pylori
– X-ray of the upper GI tract
Treatment
• If an infection of Helicobacter pylori is proven
then the patient is treated with one or more
antibiotics (type depending on culture and
what works best)
• Treatment usually lasts from a few weeks to
long term and may have to be repeated if not
successful or if reoccurrence happens
• A repeat test is always performed after
treatment to test for the absence of H. pylori
Treatment cont.
• There is not a certain method of prevention
due to the fact that there is not a specific
determined mode of transmission
• If the infection becomes severe enough and
causes ulcers, surgery may be necessary to
correct the damage
Statistics
Due to the fact that Helicobacter pylori is
not a communicable disease (such as
influenza), number of cases could not be
specifically found and most people that
actually carry it are asymptomatic and are
completely unaware.
Importance
• This is a very important disease to study
because there is thought to be a link between
Helicobacter pylori infections and a number of
other diseases such as gastritis, ulcers, and
cancer of the stomach.
• If we continue to research and links are made,
maybe prevention and treatment would be
much easier, or cancer may be possible to
avoid.
References
Carranza, Walli. “Helicobacter Pylori Virulence Factors.” Livestrong.com. 24 Sept. 2010.
Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/257630-helicobacterpylori-virulence-factors>
Virulence factors of H. pylori are covered on this website.
“H. Pylori.” Wexner Medical Center. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://medicalcenter.osu.edu
/patientcare/healthcare_services/digestive_disorders/h_pylori/Pages/index.aspx>
This site covers the entire spectrum of the disease.
Marshall. “Diagnosis of Helicobacter Pylori.” The Helicobacter Foundation. 2012. Web.
29 Oct. 2012. <http://www.helico.com/?q=Diagnosis
%20of%20Helicobacter%20Pylori>
This site is about the different tests used to determine an infection. It also
includes all other pertinent information like treatment and symptoms.
Seibert, Andrew, MD. “H. pylori.” WebMD. 16 June 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/h-pylori-helicobacter-pylori>
WebMD basically has everything you need to know about the infection from
symptoms, tests, diagnosis and treatment.