Proton Pump Inhibitors and Infection Risk A 65-year-old male with a history of GERD has been taking a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) daily for the past two years. He presents with a 3-day history of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever after eating at a local restaurant. Stool cultures reveal Salmonella infection. Which of the following mechanisms best explains this patient’s increased susceptibility to the infection?
