Gent: Porcine bacterium points to new treatments for stomach ulcers

Research lead

Scientists have isolated a new bacterium in pigs’ stomachs that they say opens up the prospect of new approaches to treating stomach ulcers.

The bacterium that commonly causes stomach ulcers in humans is Helicobacter pylori. However, in a small percentage of ulcer biopsies a similar but previously unidentified bacterium is present. Now, scientists from Belgium have succeeded in cultivating this.

“We have developed a new method to cultivate these bacteria and can now study their main characteristics and virulence properties,” said Freddy Haesebrouck of Ghent University. Genetic analysis revealed that the bacterium is a new species related to H. pylori. It has been named Helicobacter suis.

H. suis is associated with stomach ulcers in pigs, which may cause sudden death of the animal. “The economic losses for the pork industry and the risk of the bacteria infecting humans justify the need for further research,” said Margo Baele from Ghent University.

“Data show that people in close contact with pigs have a higher risk of infection.” This suggests H. suis is a zoonotic agent that is capable of being transmitted from animals to humans.

As yet, very little about how the bacterium infects either humans or pigs and how it causes disease. Pure isolates of H. suis are now available, which will make it easier to study H. suis and its interaction with the host.

It will also be possible to determine whether the bacterium is resistant to antibiotics, leading to better treatment strategies, both in pigs and humans, and paving the way for the development of a vaccine.