Immunological Aspects of Helicobacter pylori Infection

Abstract

With the exception of studies on patients with pernicious anaemia, a mouse model of autoimmune gastritis, and experimental studies of gastric tumours, the stomach has not been intensively or systematically studied by immunologists. This is likely to change in the near future. It appears that the major cause of the most common form of antral gastritis is infection with Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium may also be involved in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcer, and infection is perhaps one of the initial events in the transition from gastritis to dysplasia, metaplasia and, eventually, gastrointestinal cancer of the intestinal type. One of the interesting aspects of this infection is that the majority of individuals who acquired the infection cannot get rid of the bacteria, and it is proving extremely difficult to eradicate it. No good explanation of the failure of the local immune response exists in spite of a demonstrable local antibody response. This observation should stimulate further studies in this area of research.