Manila-based scientists report stomach ulcer jab breakthrough

Berlin (dpa) – Gastric ulcers are not only painful, they can lead to more serious conditions such as sepsis and mean that a patient is more vulnerable than others to developing stomach cancer. Usually treated with antibiotics – which germs are increasingly becoming resistant to – such ulcers can also be caused by taking too much steroid-based medications such as ibuprofen, which can irritate or damage the lining of the stomach. But prevention is better than cure, as the saying goes – and with that in mind a team of scientists in the Philippines are making progress with developing a world-first vaccine that targets widespread germ Helicobacter pylori, also known as H. pylori, which is found in around 60% of people and which is the cause of many stomach ulcers. Based at Ateneo de Manila University School of Science and Engineering’s Department of Biology, the researchers have identified proteins produced by the bacteria that make it so tough it can survive in stomach acid, which is capable of dissolving some metals. Not only does the ulcer-causing germ thrive in gastric acid, it can stick to the stomach's lining while dodging the sentinels and assassins dispatched by the human immune system.  But the Manila-based team said that it has figured out which of the proteins concerned are most likely to be safe and able to activate protective immune cells. The team says their research, which was based on computer modelling, sketches out "promising candidates for future H. pylori vaccine design." "Despite the availability of antibiotics, challenges such as patient reluctance, high treatment costs, and antibiotic resistance limit their effectiveness, making vaccination a promising alternative," the researchers say, adding that more in vitro tests are needed to follow up on and validate their findings. The following information is not intended for publication dpa spr arw

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