Mohamed A Alhammad
University of Alexandria, Egypt
Title: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in water samples in Egypt
Biography
Biography: Mohamed A Alhammad
Abstract
Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common infections worldwide. In Egypt, H. pylori prevalence has been reported to be 60% among patients greater than 6 years of age.However the environmental risk factors and sources of infection by this organism have not been extensively studied for this region.
Aim: The primary objective of the present study was to determine, for a population in which H. pylori is common, the potential environmental sources of infection by both filtration PCR and filtration culture PCR for water samples. Also we aimed to study the cagA and vacA genotypes of these strains.
Materials & Methods: In this study, fifty water samples (wells, stored tap water and tap water) were tested to investigate the presence of H. pylori from rural and urban regions in Alexandria. The detection of H. pylori in water was done by PCR using specific primers for urease gene Ure C (294 bp).
Results: In this study, H. pylori ure C gene was detected in 4 (8%) of water samples including 3 tap water (6%), and 1(2%) well water sample. Two of these cases were detected by Filtration PCR and another two were detected by Filtration culture PCR. We could not identify H. pylori DNA in any of the stored tap water. All positive samples were negative for CagA and VacA genes.
Conclusion: The present study confirms the presence of H. pylori in drinking water of Alexandria. Detection of H.pylori in water by both filtration PCR and filtration culture PCR in different samples confirm the presence of H.pylori in different forms in water, viable non culturable and culturable.