Shape-shifting agent targets harmful bacteria in the stomach

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) A new shape-shifting polymer can target and kill Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach without killing helpful bacteria in the gut. Such a treatment could improve the digestive health of billions of people worldwide who contract H. pylori infections. The antimicrobial agent morphs into a bacterial hole-puncher in the stomach's acidic environment and reverts to an amorphous, inactive structure when it reaches the higher pH environment of the small intestine.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news