Oral Immunization Of Mice With Attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium Expressing Helicobacter Pylori Urease B Subunit

Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram-negative spiral bacterium that colonizes the gastric mucosa and is associated with gastrointestinal illnesses such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and gastric cancer. Although significant progress has been made in treating H. pylori infection with current triple or quadruple therapy based on antibiotics, given in conjunction with bismuth compounds and proton pump inhibitors, the limitations of pharmacological therapy such as the side effects, the poor compliance, the high cost, and most importantly, the rapid emergence of antibiotic resistance have set the stage for the development of less costly and more efficient means to prevent and control H. pylori infections. There is ample precedent from experience in the control of infections to suggest that vaccination may be such an alternative. It is widely accepted that, given the worldwide prevalence of Helicobacter infection and the difficulties inherent in trying to eradicate it by antibiotic therapy, vaccination would be a preferable strategy. Over the past few years, scientists placed emphasis on the study of H. pylori protein vaccine. Both prophylactic and therapeutic oral immunization can be achieved in animal models when Helicobacter antigens such as urease, heat shock protein and...