| Virulence factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Colonizing | |
| Flagella | Active movements through mucin |
| Urease | Neutralization of acid |
| Adhesins | Anchoring H. pylori to epithelium |
| Tissue damaging | |
| Proteolytic enzymes | Glucosulfatase degrades mucin |
| 120-kDa cytotoxin (Gac A) | Related to ulcer and severe gastritis |
| Vacuolating cytotoxin (Vac A) | Damage of the epithelium |
| Urease | Toxic effect on epithelial cells, disrupting cell tight junctions |
| Phospholipase A | Digest phospholipids in cell membranes |
| Alcohol dehydrogenase | Gastric mucosal injury |
| Survival | |
| Intracellular surveillance | Prevent killing in phagocytes |
| Superoxide dismutase | Prevent phagocytosis and killing |
| Catalase | Prevent phagocytosis and killing |
| Coccoid forms | Dormant form |
| Heat shock proteins | |
| Urease | Sheathing antigen |
| Other | |
| Lipopolysaccharide | Low biological activity |
| Lewis X/Y blood group homology | Autoimmunity |
From: Chapter 4, Basic Bacteriology and Culture
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