The molecular mechanisms of helicobacter pylori-associated gastroduodenal disease

Abstract

In 1984, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren proposed a role for Helicobacter pylori in gastroduodenal disease leading to an avalanche of research intended to prove or disprove their theory. The result has been a series of advances that have updated our understanding of these diseases and completely modernized the clinical approach to their management. In recognition of this impact, Marshall and Warren received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2005. This chapter summarizes some important findings that have advanced our knowledge in this field with emphasis on the host response and the immunopathogenesis of gastroduodenal disease. © 2006 Humana Press Inc.