Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2002;34(6):450-4.
doi: 10.1046/j.1472-765x.2002.01122.x.

Detection of Helicobacter pylori DNA in drinking water biofilms: implications for transmission in early life

J E G Bunn  1 , W G MacKay, J E Thomas, D C Reid, L T Weaver
Affiliations

Detection of Helicobacter pylori DNA in drinking water biofilms: implications for transmission in early life

J E G Bunn et al. Lett Appl Microbiol. 2002.

Abstract

Aims: To provide evidence of water quality as a risk factor for acquisition of Helicobacter pylori in early life, and to identify evidence for its presence within pots used to store drinking water.

Methods and results: A prospective cohort study of 65 infants was conducted in the rural village of Keneba, The Gambia. Age of H. pylori colonization was determined and water pot biofilms were tested for H. pylori by sequencing of amplified DNA. Use of supplemental water was a strong risk factor for H. pylori colonization in infants (OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.17-22.5). DNA with 95% homology to the 16S rRNA gene of H. pylori was isolated from biofilms of water pots.

Conclusions: Drinking water may be a reservoir for H. pylori in areas of the developing world where water quality is poor. Early introduction of water, particularly if stored in, or collected from contaminated sources, may be associated with an increased rate of H. pylori colonization.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types

MeSH terms