DEVELOPMENT OF A MOUSE MODEL OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION THAT MIMICS HUMAN-DISEASE

The human pathogen Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastritis, p eptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. The pathogenesis of H. pylori infection in vivo was studied by adapting fresh clinical isolates of bacteria to colonize the stomachs of mice. A gastric pathology resembl ing human disease was observed in infections With cytotoxin-producing strains but not with noncytotoxic strains. Oral immunization with puri fied H. pylori antigens protected mice from bacterial infection. This mouse model will allow the development of therapeutic agents and vacci nes against H. pylori infection in humans.