Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and CNRS have recently identified new strategies used by Helicobacter pylori bacteria to infect cells. By specifically targeting mitochondria, these bacteria, despite being extracellular, can optimize infection in the host. These findings pave the way for new strategies to combat H. pylori infection, which is associated with most cases of gastric cancer and several other gastric disorders. The results were published on Nov. 21 in the journal Scientific Reports.