Ulcers (cont.) Helicobacter Pylori

[Guest guest]

Helicobacter pylori -

General Information

http://www.helico.com/

 

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral shaped bacterium that

lives in the

stomach and duodenum (section of intestine just below

stomach). It has

a

unique way of adapting in the harsh environment of the

stomach.

 

The inside of the stomach is bathed in about half a

gallon of " gastric

juice " every day.

 

Gastric juice is composed of digestive enzymes and

concentrated

hydrochloric acid, which can readily tear apart the

toughest food or

microorganism. Bacteria, viruses, and yesterdays

dinner are all

consumed

in this deadly

bath of chemicals. It used to be thought that the

stomach contained no

bacteria and was actually sterile, but Helicobacter

pylori changed

that.

 

 

The stomach is protected from its own gastric juice by

a thick layer of

" mucus " that covers the stomach lining. Helicobacter

pylori takes

advantage of this protection by living in the mucus

lining.

 

Urea hydrolysis: urea is broken down to ammonia and

carbon dioxide

Once H. pylori is safely ensconced in the mucus, it is

able to fight

the

stomach acid that does reach it with an enzyme it

possesses called

urease.

 

Urease converts urea, of which there is an abundant

supply in

the stomach (from saliva and gastric juices), into

bicarbonate and

ammonia, which are strong bases.

this creates a cloud of acid neutralizing chemicals

around the H.

pylori, protecting it from the acid in the stomach.

 

The reaction of urea hydrolysis is important for

diagnosis of H.pylori

by the breath test.

 

Gram stain of H. Pylori

Another defense H. pylori has is that the body's

natural defenses

cannot

reach the bacterium in the mucus lining of the

stomach.

 

The immune system will respond to an H. pylori

infection by sending

white cells, killer T cells, and other infection

fighting agents.

However, these potential H. pylori eradicators cannot

reach the

infection,

because they cannot easily get through stomach lining.

 

 

They do not go away either, though, and the " immune

response " grows and

grows. Polymorphs die, and spill their destructive

compounds

( " superoxide radicals " ) on stomach lining cells.

 

Extra nutrients are sent to reinforce the white cells,

and the H.

pylori can feed on this.

within a few days, gastritis and perhaps

eventually a peptic ulcer results.

It may not be H. pylori itself which causes peptic

ulcer, but the

inflammation of the stomach lining; i.e. the response

to H. pylori.

 

 

H. Pylori causing a " neutrophil reaction " (active

chronic gastritis) in

the lining (mucosa) of the stomach

 

H. pylori is believed to be transmitted orally. Many

researchers think

that H, pylori is transmitted orally by means of fecal

matter through

the ingestion of waste tainted food or water.

 

In addition, it is possible that H. pylori could be

transmitted from

the stomach to the mouth through gastro-esophagal

reflux (in which a

small amount of the stomach's contents is

involuntarily forced up the

esophagus) or belching, common symptoms of gastritis.

The bacterium

could then be transmitted through oral contact.

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

DietaryTi-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html