H. pylori and Human Ancestry predicts gastric cancer

Chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori infection is necessary but not sufficient to initiate development of intestinal-type gastric adenocarcinoma. It is unclear what additional factors tip the scale from commensal bacteria towards a pathogen that facilitates development of gastric cancer. Genetic variants in both the pathogen and host have been implicated, but neither alone explains a substantial portion of disease risk. We study the association of H. pylori and Human ancestry to detect factors that drive disease through the interaction of pathogen and host.