Question

Which bacterium causes peptic ulcers? Who discovered the peptic ulcer pathogen for the first time?

Answer 1

We know that peptic ulcers are basically open sores that develop on the inner lining of our stomach and upper portion of our small intestine and hence include two types of ulcers that are gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers.

Complete answer:
As we know that peptic ulcers are basically open sores that develop on the inner lining of our stomach and upper portion of our small intestine and hence include two types of ulcers that are gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers.
Stomach pain is the most common symptom of peptic ulcers, it also shows a feeling of fullness, bloating, nausea, heartburns and intolerance to fatty food.
We know that our stomach produces hydrochloric acid and if an individual has an empty stomach, the acid production increases which makes the pain even worse as this acid eats up the inner linings of the stomach and small intestine.
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is the causative agent of peptic ulcers. This bacterium lives in the mucous layer of stomach and small intestine that protects the tissues from acid attack.
This bacterium generally does not cause any problem but it can cause inflammation of the inner layer of stomach thereby producing an ulcer.
In 1982, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren discovered the Helicobacter pylori. Dr. Warren took biopsies of 50% patients and discovered that a small curved bacteria colonises the lower part of the stomach.

Note: Dr. Marshall infected himself with this bacterium and proved that H. pylori caused gastric inflammation
Some facts about peptic ulcers:
If peptic ulcers are left untreated then it may result in internal bleeding and thus leads to anaemia.
Individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori have a high risk of getting gastric cancers. Peptic ulcers can perforate the walls of stomach and intestine and result in serious infections of abdominal cavity called peritonitis.