Investigating the incidence of Helicobacter pylori in Tripoli's drinking water using PCR

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori colonize 50% of the human population but only 30% of infected persons may show symptoms. It is considered a potential carcinogen since afflicted patients can develop ulcer, gastritis, and gastric cancer or MALT lymphoma. H. pylori routes of transmission remain unclear. Person to person transmission whether oral-oral or fecal-oral is possible, as well as foodborne or vectorborne routes. Many studies revealed that drinking water could be the most probable way of transmission especially after detecting the organism in untreated wells and spring water in many countries. However, no similar studies were carried out in Lebanon. The main objective of this study is to investigate the incidence of H. pylori in Tripolis drinking water using PCR, in order to understand the risk factors of its prevalence in society. The ultimate aim is to estimate if the drinking water represents a major route of transmission for this organism in Tripoli and if its existence is correlated with the presence of fecal coliforms. Five hundred ml water samples were collected from different regions all over Tripoli from 22 natural wells and springs before and after treatment by chlorination and from 10 untreated private wells. Results showed that all untreated water samples collected from natural wells and springs were negative for H. pylori but most of them were positive for fecal coliforms. The treated water samples of the same natural wells and springs were negative for both H. pylori and fecal coliforms. All samples collected from private wells were negative for H. pylori with only three positive samples for fecal coliforms. Tripolis drinking water may not be the route of transmission of H. pylori in the region and the organisms incidence was not found to be correlated with fecal contamination. Our results suggest investigating other possible routes for the transmission of H. pylori.