Co-Occurrence of Helicobacter pylori and Candida spp. Infections in the Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal Diseases.

Helicobacter pylori and Candida spp. are widespread microorganisms found in the human gastrointestinal tract, often coexisting in the same ecological niche. H. pylori, a Gram-negative bacterium, is a well-known pathogen responsible for gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. In contrast, Candida fungi, often detected in food, particularly Candida albicans, are generally considered commensal organisms, but can become opportunistic pathogens under certain conditions. Recent studies suggest a possible link between these microorganisms, highlighting a new survival strategy of H. pylori, that is, its ability to internalize in Candida vacuoles. This phenomenon, confirmed by various microscopic and molecular techniques, may provide H. pylori with protection against adverse environmental conditions, especially clinically important antibiotic therapy. The basic premise of this theory is the ability of H. pylori to penetrate vacuoles in fungal cells, which then become a reservoir of infection, allowing the infection to recur. Understanding the interaction between H. pylori and Candida may offer new insights into the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases and may lead to the development of treatments targeting both organisms simultaneously. The purpose of this article is to review the literature, considering the first observations on this problem in the literature and the current state of knowledge, and to suggest a direction for further research.