Published online Aug 6, 2016. doi: 10.4292/wjgpt.v7.i3.412
Peer-review started: March 18, 2016
First decision: April 5, 2016
Revised: April 9, 2016
Accepted: May 17, 2016
Article in press: May 27, 2016
Published online: August 6, 2016
Processing time: 138 Days and 9 Hours
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an important cause for gastric cancer in high risk individuals. H. pylori colonizes more than 50% of the world’s population and associated peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancy have important public health implications. It has been classified as a class I carcinogen in 1994 by the World Health Organization. Clinicians are often prompted to eliminate the infection the moment it is detected. This also, unfortunately, led to reckless use of antibiotics and reports of increasing resistance are now worldwide. Each year, many of people die from gastric cancer; thus application of effective vaccine can reduce this relatively high mortality worldwide. H. pylori can be eliminated by antibiotics but efficacy is sharply decreasing. Moreover, current therapy is also expensive and with side effects. Vaccine may be the best solution to the above problem but there are many challenges in producing such an effective therapeutic vaccine. Recently, the Chinese group published in Lancet, a single-center, randomized, phase III study of an oral recombinant vaccine (Urease B subunit fused with heat-labile enterotoxin B derived from Escherichia coli) prescribed in the Chinese children (6-15 years) without a history of H. pylori infection. This review provides an insight into this new solution for an old challenge.
Core tip:Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) remains the most prevalent gastric infection. One of the main questionable aspects of H. pylori is its high resistance to most of prescribed antibiotics and lack of useful vaccines. Vaccine may be the best solution to the above problem but there are many challenges in producing such an effective therapeutic vaccine. That will be ideal that Chinese vaccine removes the need for bicarbonate administration because of its adverse side effects. Taking together, it is the first time that such a protective H. pylori vaccine is introduced to the world for high risk individuals.