Novel Helicobacter pylori therapeutic targets: the unusual suspects.

Understanding the current status of the discovery and development of anti-Helicobacter therapies requires an overview of the searches for therapeutic targets performed to date. A summary is given of the very substantial body of work conducted in the quest to find Helicobacter pylori genes that could be suitable candidates for therapeutic intervention. The products of most of these genes perform metabolic functions, and others have roles in growth, cell motility and colonization.