Helicobacter pylori bacteria were first isolated in the early 1980s and have since been shown to be a common cause of peptic ulcers and are also associated with some types of stomach cancer. Once identified, infections can be treated with antibiotics. There is currently no vaccine.
In the study the researchers developed a nasal vaccine that completely protected mice from infection with Helicobacter felis, a relative of H. pylori. H. felis infection in mice is currently accepted by researchers as a standard model for H. pylori vaccine development.
While the results are promising, more studies still need to be done, say the researchers.
(W. Jiang, H.J. Baker and B.F. Smith. 2003. Mucosal immunization with Helicobacter, CpG DNA, and cholera toxin is protective. Infection and Immunity, 71: 40-46.)
Sourdough compound delays mold growth
Bacteria isolated from sourdough bread produce a compound that inhibits the growth of molds. Researchers from the Institute of Sciences of Food Production in Bari, Italy, report their findings in the January 2003 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Sourdough bakery products have long been known to have longer shelf lives. In the study, the researchers identified an antifungal compound, known as phenyllactic acid (PLA), that is produced by a strain of the sourdough lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum. When tested against a variety of fungi found in baked goods, the compound was able to delay growth by more than 2 days in some cases.