Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2005“for their discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis andpeptic ulcer disease” By Jeremy Moore

The Laureates

J. Robin WarrenBorn 1937 in

North Adelaide, in South Australia

University of Adelaide, Australia

Barry J. MarshallBorn 1951Kalgoorlie,

AustraliaH. pylori

Research Laboratory, QUII Medical Center, and University of Western Australia

Before AwardMet in 1981and

worked together for several years after

Work disagreed with early ideas that nothing could live in the stomach

Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pyloriGenerally

contracted as a child from the mother

Can stay with person the rest of their life after infection

Is always associated with inflammation of the stomach’s underlying gastric mucosa.

Known best for its cause of stomach ulcers

Helicobacter pyloriIdentified 1982

Harbored by about 50% of world’s population

Also found in other parts of the body like the eye

Believed that shape evolved to penetrate lining of stomach

Most infected people never experience many symptoms

“Possible” SymptomsLoss of

appetite

Nausea

Bloating

Frequent Burping

Burning abdominal pain that is more intense when stomach is empty

Unintentional weight loss

Helicobacter pylori

What was learnedResearch of H. pylori led to the

understanding of peptic ulcers. Once thought to be caused be stress and lifestyle choices alone, The peptic and gastric ulcers are cause by H. pylori 80-90% of the time.

With this we learned that in most cases on can simply take an antibiotic that deals with gram-negative bacteria, but because so prevalent adaptation is feared.

Possible Cancer AgentWith risk of ulcers and the

infection of the corpus region of the stomach there is a chance of provoking stomach cancer is individuals.

MALT (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue) lymphoma was also found to be treatable by simply using antibiotic. This made the cancer regress.