Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 21, 2014; 20(47): 17779-17787
Published online Dec 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i47.17779
Helicobacter heilmannii sensu lato: An overview of the infection in humans
Mario Bento-Miranda, Ceu Figueiredo
Mario Bento-Miranda, Ceu Figueiredo, Department of Pathology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Ceu Figueiredo, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Author contributions: Bento-Miranda M and Figueiredo C solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Ceu Figueiredo, PhD, Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal. cfigueiredo@ipatimup.pt
Telephone: +351-22-5570700 Fax: +351-22-5570799
Received: May 16, 2014
Revised: June 27, 2014
Accepted: July 29, 2014
Published online: December 21, 2014
Abstract

Helicobacter heilmannii sensu lato (H. heilmannii s.l.) is a group of gastric non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species that are morphologically indistinguishable from each other. H. heilmannii s.l. infect the stomach of several animals and may have zoonotic potential. Although the prevalence of these infections in humans is low, they are associated with gastric pathology, including mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, making them a significant health issue. Here, the taxonomy, epidemiology, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment of these infections will be reviewed. The gastric pathology associated with H. heilmannii s.l. infections in humans will also be addressed. Finally, the features of the complete bacterial genomes available and studies on species-specific pathogenesis will be reviewed. The understanding of the mechanisms that underlie gastric disease development mediated by the different bacterial species that constitute H. heilmannii s.l. is essential for developing strategies for prevention and treatment of these infections.

Keywords: Helicobacter heilmannii sensu lato, Gastric non-Helicobacter pylori, Helicobacter species, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, Genomes

Core tip:Helicobacter heilmannii sensu lato is a group of non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species that infect the stomach of animals and humans. In the human stomach, these infections are associated with several pathologies, but it is currently unknown whether certain species are more often associated with a certain disease outcome than others. The access to bacterial genomes together with the availability of increasing numbers of in vitro isolates will allow significant advances in the understanding of species-specific bacteria-host interactions in disease pathogenesis and will be essential for future development of strategies to prevent and treat these infections.