Gastric spirochaetes: 100 Years of discovery before and after Kobayashi

Abstract

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori, by Warren and Marshall in 1982, was preceded by nearly 100 years of inconspicuous publications relating to spiral bacteria, achlorhydria, gastritis, gastric urease, and antimicrobial therapy for ulcers. Japanese investigators, notably Kasai and Kobayashi, should be acknowledged for their pioneering work showing that spiral bacteria could infect many animals, could cause haemorrhagic erosions, and would be effectively cured with various antimicrobials.