This infection lives on the lining of the stomach, causing damage. It is frequently linked with stomach ulcer disease and, if the infection is chronic, H. pylori can result in a form of stomach cancer. There are many treatments available to cure H. pylori infection, but these treatments use two or more antibiotics to work.
Nothing is available to prevent stomach ulcers from occurring in the first place.
There is a clear need for a vaccine to prevent ulcers, said Sharon E. Frey, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the division of infectious diseases and immunology. Hopefully, children can one day be vaccinated, since H. pylori infection is usually acquired in childhood, and early infection is more harmful. Dr. Frey said this study is different than others by the fact that the volunteers will be purposely infected with H. pylori, then treated and cured. This process of infection will then be used to challenge people who actually receive a vaccine to see if the it is effective. This ability to cause H. pylori infection and cure it is needed before vaccine studies can be done, Dr. Frey said.