Helicobacter pylori vaccine strategies - triggering a gut reaction

Helicobacter pylori causes peptic ulcer disease and some forms of gastric c ancer; it is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections of humans. Although several prototype protein-based vaccines have shown promising res ults, they have not cleared infection and/or prevented reinfection. Nucleic acid vaccination offers a useful alternative to protein immunization, espe cially Mote that two complete H. pylori genome sequences are available, and facilitates the selection of antigenic targets.