Helicobacter pylori colonization of the oral cavity: A milestone discovery

Abstract

Over the past several years, the severity of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections has not significantly diminished. After successful eradication, the annual H. pylori recurrence rate is approximately 13% due to oral H. pylori infection. Established clinical diagnostic techniques do not identify an oral etiologic basis of H. pylori prior to gastric infection. There has been disagreement as to whether oral infection of H. pylori exists or not, with no definite conclusion. In medical practice, negative results with the urea breath test suggest that the stomach infection of H. pylori is cured in these patients. In fact, patients can present negative urea breath test results and yet exhibit H. pylori infection due to oral infection. The present paper provides evidence that H. pylori oral infection is nonetheless present, and the oral cavity represents a secondary site for H. pylori colonization.

Keywords: Antigen test for oral urease; Cell culture; Helicobacter pylori; Lysine and glycerol monolaurate mouthwash solution; Oral cavity.

Figure 1

Based on our study[3], the sensitivity (A), specificity (B), accuracy (C), positive- (D) and negative-predictive values (E) of saliva Helicobacter pylori antigen and flagella tests were confirmed by saliva Helicobacter pylori culture.

Figure 2

Based on our study[3], the rate of treatment of stomach infection as determined by negative urea breath test. A1: Patients received treatment of polylysine glycerol monolaurate mouthwash and drug eradication; A2: Patients received drug eradication; and A3: Patients received teeth cleaning. P < 0.05, A1 vs A2, A1 vs A3, A2 vs A3.