Oh ,That Pain In My Stomach :-( Stomach Ulcers and Helicobacter

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped (sort of like a corkscrew) bacteria. If you haven't looked at the links to the images of this bacteria go now - they are neat (Link 1 and Link 2). At one time scientists thought that no bacteria could live in the stomach because of all the acid. Drs. Marshall and Warren, in 1982, discovered Helicobacter pylori and showed it could live in the stomach. Helicobacter pylori survives in the stomach by hiding out in the mucus that covers the lining of our stomach. These bacteria also make a protein called urease that breaks down urea. Urea is made by our stomach. Breaking down urea by urease results in the production of compounds that have the ability to neutralize the stomach acid. With these abilities Helicobacter pylori has made for itself a home of its very own. Exactly how Helicobacter pylori causes an ulcer is not completely understood and is an area of extensive research.

How has all this knowledge been useful to people suffering from ulcers? Is there a cure? How do I know if I am infected with this bacteria? Stay tuned for part II and I will answer all those questions and more. If, however, you are too impatient and want more information and want it now here are two great places to go: NIH consensus statement of ulcers and The Helicobacter Foundation.

Take Care and Think Microbiologically!

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