Helicobacter pylori

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori by Marshall and Warren in 1984, a gram-negative, spiral bacterium isolated from the gastric mucosa, revolutionized the treatment of gastric diseases, leading to the inclusion of antibiotic therapy in individuals diagnosed with ulcers and gastritis. To survive in the inhospitable environment of the stomach, H. pylori has acquired molecules capable of minimizing acidity and evading the host's immune system over its evolutionary history. Interaction with the host's gastric mucosa is usually focal and can cause various pathologies, depending on the genetic characteristics of H. pylori. Once detected in the gastric or duodenal mucosa, antibiotic therapy is indicated, with the challenge of obtaining antibiotics that maintain activity in the acidic environment. Furthermore, as with all bacteria, it is important to investigate the occurrence of H. pylori resistant to antibiotics used in therapeutic regimens. Therefore, this book will address topics involving H. pylori, including diagnostic methods, pathogenicity mechanisms, including interactions with herpesviruses, and antibiotic therapy options.