Kevin F Boehnke1, Kathryn A Eaton2, Manuel Valdivieso3, Laurence H Baker3, Chuanwu Xi1. 1. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. 2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. 3. Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection has been consistently associated with lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation, but no studies have demonstrated that the transmission of H. pylori can occur from drinking contaminated water. In this study, we used a laboratory mouse model to test whether waterborne H. pylori could cause gastric infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Groups of immunocompetent C57/BL6 Helicobacter-free mice were exposed to static concentrations (1.29 × 10(5), 10(6), 10(7), 10(8), and 10(9) CFU/L) of H. pylori in their drinking water for 4 weeks. One group of Helicobacter-free mice was exposed to uncontaminated water as a negative control. H. pylori morphology changes in water were examined using microscopy Live/Dead staining. Following exposure, H. pylori infection and inflammation status in the stomach were evaluated using quantitative culture, PCR, the rapid urease test, and histology. RESULTS: None of the mice in the negative control or 10(5) groups were infected. One of 20 cages (one of 40 mice) of the 10(6) group, three of 19 cages (four of 38 mice) of the 10(7) CFU/L group, 19 of 20 cages (33 of 40 mice) of the 10(8) group, and 20 of 20 cages (39 of 40 mice) of the 10(9) CFU/L group were infected. Infected mice had significantly higher gastric inflammation than uninfected mice (27.86% higher inflammation, p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: We offer proof that H. pylori in water is infectious in mice, suggesting that humans drinking contaminated water may be at risk of contracting H. pylori infection. Much work needs to be performed to better understand the risk of infection from drinking H. pylori-contaminated water.
BACKGROUND:Helicobacter pyloriinfection has been consistently associated with lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation, but no studies have demonstrated that the transmission of H. pylori can occur from drinking contaminated water. In this study, we used a laboratory mouse model to test whether waterborne H. pylori could cause gastric infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Groups of immunocompetent C57/BL6 Helicobacter-free mice were exposed to static concentrations (1.29 × 10(5), 10(6), 10(7), 10(8), and 10(9) CFU/L) of H. pylori in their drinking water for 4 weeks. One group of Helicobacter-free mice was exposed to uncontaminated water as a negative control. H. pylori morphology changes in water were examined using microscopy Live/Dead staining. Following exposure, H. pyloriinfection and inflammation status in the stomach were evaluated using quantitative culture, PCR, the rapid urease test, and histology. RESULTS: None of the mice in the negative control or 10(5) groups were infected. One of 20 cages (one of 40 mice) of the 10(6) group, three of 19 cages (four of 38 mice) of the 10(7) CFU/L group, 19 of 20 cages (33 of 40 mice) of the 10(8) group, and 20 of 20 cages (39 of 40 mice) of the 10(9) CFU/L group were infected. Infected mice had significantly higher gastric inflammation than uninfected mice (27.86% higher inflammation, p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: We offer proof that H. pylori in water is infectious in mice, suggesting that humans drinking contaminated water may be at risk of contracting H. pyloriinfection. Much work needs to be performed to better understand the risk of infection from drinking H. pylori-contaminated water.
Authors: Kevin F Boehnke; Manuel Valdivieso; Alejandro Bussalleu; Rachael Sexton; Kathryn C Thompson; Soledad Osorio; Italo Novoa Reyes; John J Crowley; Laurence H Baker; Chuanwu Xi Journal: Infect Drug Resist Date: 2017-03-10 Impact factor: 4.003
Authors: Phoebe Aitila; Michael Mutyaba; Simon Okeny; Maurice Ndawula Kasule; Rashid Kasule; Frank Ssedyabane; Benson Okongo; Richard Onyuthi Apecu; Enoch Muwanguzi; Caesar Oyet Journal: J Trop Med Date: 2019-03-07
Authors: Kevin F Boehnke; Kathryn A Eaton; Clinton Fontaine; Rebecca Brewster; Jianfeng Wu; Joseph N S Eisenberg; Manuel Valdivieso; Laurence H Baker; Chuanwu Xi Journal: Helicobacter Date: 2017-04-24 Impact factor: 5.753