High-salt diet link to ulcer risk
The bug that causes stomach ulcers may be more likely to cause disease when exposed to high concentrations of salt, a US team of researchers has said.
H pylori is the main cause of stomach ulcers
Two genes associated with the potency of Helicobacter pylori became more active if a lot of salt is present. Presenting the results at the American Society for Microbiology conference, the researchers said research had shown salt was linked to gastric cancer. Experts said the findings suggested how salt and H. Pylori may interact.
H. pylori lives in the stomach, and accounts for up to 90% of duodenal ulcers and up to 80% of gastric ulcers. The bacterium may also increase the risk of gastric cancer. Many people carry the bacterium without experiencing any symptoms. And some of those who are affected suffer far less severe symptoms than others.
Study leader Dr Hanan Gancz and colleagues said it was known that people who ate a high-salt diet had an increased risk of gastric cancer but no one had looked specifically at the effects of salt on H. pylori itself.
They measured the growth and gene expression of the H. pylori in the laboratory and found that in the presence of high concentrations of salt the growth rate of the bacterium dropped. However, it did change shape and formed long chains. At the same time, two genes associated with the virulence of the bacterium, were expressed more readily.
