The history of the discovery of the Helicobacter pylori

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the stomach lining. The presence of a microorganism in humans was described more than a century ago, but from detection to recognition of its role in the etiology and pathogenesis of diseases of the stomach, researchers had to overcome a long path of criticism and mistrust. Coiled bacteria have been mentioned several times in the medical literature, but these bacteria were thought to be contaminants, and any evidence of the bacteria in the stomach was ignored by the medical community. The discovery of H. pylori led to a revolutionary rethinking of the mechanisms of development of a number of diseases: the role of bacteria in the development of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, stomach cancer and MALT lymphoma was proved. The principles of their prevention and treatment have changed. For this discovery in 2005, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.