Recent developments in Helicobacter pylori vaccination

This reviews discusses the recent progress in the development of a vaccine against Helicobacter pylori. To date, this gram-negative, spiral-shaped bacterium is one of the most common infections of mankind. Infection usually occurs during childhood, and when left untreated results in lifelong colonization of the stomach. Helicobacter pylori infection is a chronic gastritis that can lead to peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric B-cell lymphoma. Antimicrobial therapy is currently the method of choice for curing H. pylori infection, but complex dosing, inconsistent efficiency, development of antibiotic resistance, costs and various side effects compromise widespread use. As a consequence, new strategies for the prevention and eradication of H. pylori infections are being explored. Vaccines are an attractive option, because they are both effective and economic in use. Natural infection with H. pylori usually results in a strong inflammatory Th1-type CD4(+)T-cell response that does not seem to have any protective effects. Successful vaccination studies indicate that a Th2-type response is required for protection, but the exact mechanisms involved in protective immunization are still poorly understood. Although commercial development of products for clinical trial is underway, many important issues, such as lack of a suitable mucosal adjuvant, and prevention of potential side effects, such as postimmunization gastritis, need to be resolved.