1. Helicobacter Pylori
By Torin Hester

2. Simple Facts Scientific Name: Helicobacter Pylori
Classification: Spiral shaped,
Gram negative, referred to as a clade.
Common human pathogen
Slow growing

4. Function/Impact
Not only can H. Pylori break down your stomach acid, it also weakens your immune system. This is because when your immune system senses this bacteria in your body, T cells are sent to it to kill it off. Since the bacteria lives in the stomach though, the T cells have trouble getting to the bacteria and they continue to be sent out. When this happens, extra nutrients are sent out to the T cells, and white cells, and the H. Pylori feed off of the nutrients. This makes it a chemohetrotroph because it uses energy from mucus lining in stomach and feeds off of nutrients from T cells and white cells.
This is what causes inflammation and/or peptic ulcers.

5. The bacteria itself

6. Disease Causing?
H. Pylori only becomes disease causing when it’s been untreated. After that point it can cause duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, stomach cancer and also non-ulcer dyspepsia.
It would be a exotoxin since it would release gram negative bacteria once it dies or is consumed by a defense cell.

7. Areas with H. Pylori

8. How is it transmitted?
Believed to be transmitted orally due to tainted food or water.
Also believed to be passed through belching, or gastro-esophagal reflux, which is when small amount of stomachs contents is forced up the esophagus.
After this process, it’s believed that the H. Pylori is passed orally.

9. Where does it live?
H.Pylori lives in the human stomach and the section of intestine below the stomach (Duodenal). It can survive the high pH levels of the stomach acid. This is because it lives in the mucus lining of the stomach, which is what protects the stomach from it’s own acidic enviorment. However, once it makes it’s home here, it is able to fight off, or “kill” the stomach acid that does get near it.

11. WOW! Facts. (:
This bacteria can also be seen in animals such as cheetahs, dogs, cats and ferrets.
Until the discovery of H.Pylori, ulcers were thought to be caused by stress.
H. Pylori can become a risk factor for gastric cancer if left untreated.
Uncommon in children. But most Iranians have H. Pylori.
George Bush has had H. Pylori, at one time in the 60's he had a duodenal ulcer; lots of men in the CIA have HP because they have lived overseas.
Even Charles Darwin had H. Pylori because of his over sea travels.