摘要
Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a gram-negative,spiral-shaped,microaerophilic bacterium that infects over 43%of the global population,with higher prevalence in regions of low socioeconomic status and poor sanitation.It is transmitted mainly through oral-oral and fecal-oral routes and has evolved multiple mechanisms that allow colonization of the acidic gastric environment,including urease production,chemotaxis,and a variety of adhesins.The bacterium expresses several virulence factors that enhance its pathogenicity,such as cytotoxin-associated antigen A,vacuolating cytotoxin A,and the small regulatory RNA NikS,found to be essential for the fine-tuning of the bacterial virulence.Although many infected individuals remain asymptomatic,H.pylori infection is associated with multiple clinical outcomes,including chronic gastritis,peptic ulcers,gastric adenocarcinoma,and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma,all correlated to the host immune response and chronic inflammation.Diagnosis relies on both invasive and non-invasive methods,and growing antibiotic resistance poses a major challenge to treatment.New therapeutic strategies,such as tailored therapy,potassium-competitive acid blockers,and probiotics are under investigation.Vaccine development remains a key area of research,with several candidates currently in preclinical and clinical evaluation.
基金
Supported by the CNPq Research Productivity Fellow,No.317005/2021-9.
