• DOI:10.1126/SCIENCE.284.5418.1328
Corpus ID: 10376008

Helicobacter pylori virulence and genetic geography.

@article{Covacci1999HelicobacterPV,
  title={Helicobacter pylori virulence and genetic geography.},
  author={A. Covacci and J. Telford and G. del Giudice and J. Parsonnet and R. Rappuoli},
  journal={Science},
  year={1999},
  volume={284 5418},
  pages={
          1328-33
        }
}

• A. Covacci, J. Telford, +2 authors R. Rappuoli
• Published 1999
• Biology, Medicine
• Science

Isolated for the first time in 1982 from human gastric biopsy, Helicobacter pylori is responsible for gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. A pathogenicity island acquired by horizontal transfer, coding for a type IV secretion system, is a major determinant of virulence. The infection is now treated with antibiotics, and vaccines are in preparation. The geographic distribution suggests coevolution of man and Helicobacter pylori.