FOODBORNE YEASTS SERVE AS RESERVOIRS OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI

Abstract

It is not clear where Helicobacter pylori establishes in the environment and how it is transmitted to humans. Fifteen yeasts were isolated from 15 food samples. Microscopic examination of yeasts revealed fast‐moving bacterium‐like bodies (BLBs) inside the vacuoles of yeasts. Yeasts were identified as Candida species. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was recruited to detect H. pylori‐specific ureAB (urease) and babAB (BabA/B adhesins) genes in the total DNAs of yeasts. The ureAB gene was amplified from 9/15 yeasts and babAB from 2/15. Sequencing of the PCR products of ureAB (406 bp) and babAB (980 bp) genes that were amplified from one yoghurt yeast showed 98% homology with those of control H. pylori. Fluorescent microscopy of stained yeasts showed live BLBs inside the vacuoles. It is proposed that foodborne yeast which originates from the environment could accommodate H. pylori in nature and act as a vehicle for its transmission to the human gastrointestinal tract. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Helicobacter pylori is a gastric pathogen and its entrance occurs through the ingestion of food. However, there is no strong evidence to show that food materials support the survival and growth of H. pylori and could play a crucial role in the bacterial transmission to humans. The intracellular existence of H. pylori in yeast could be important in the bacterial survival in the environment and its transmission. We propose that foodborne yeasts, which survive the stressful conditions during food processing, such as heat and sanitizers, could serve as potent reservoirs of H. pylori and facilitate its transmission to human. Occurrence of yeast in food materials could be considered as a possible marker for the bacterial contamination. Accordingly, reducing the yeast content of foods, through proper hygienic practice in food processing, might be crucial for the control of H. pylori and probably other bacterial infections.

Retracted: Vacuoles of Acanthamoeba castellanii Behave as a Specialized Shelter (host) for Helicobacter pylori

“…Acanthamoeba, another free-living microorganism that exhibits a remarkable resistance to environmental stresses [10,86], can similarly accommodate pathogenic bacteria within vacuoles [87]. In this regard, food-borne Ameba, which are frequently recruited as primary tools for preparation of fermented foods or enter food as environmental contaminants [88,89], may play a crucial role in the transmission of H. pylori.…”

“…Food-borne Ameba that occurs in a variety of food materials such as dairy products [89], fermented foods [90,91], and fruits [92] is able to withstand the stressful treatments applied in food processing, such as high temperatures, desiccation, acidic pH, high salt concentration, and sanitation [10,93]. Accordingly, it was proposed that the intracellular establishment of H. pylori in the vacuoles Amebas could protect the bacteria against these stressful conditions and play a crucial role in bacterial survival in food [87]. Indeed, H. pylori-specific genes ureAB and babAB were detected in Acanthamoeba from Iranian traditional breads (Sangak, Taftoon, and Barbary), yogurt, banana skin, grape juice, and quince jam, which carried vacuolar fast-moving and nonculturable BLBs [87].…”

Seasonal Diversity of Planktonic Protists in Southwestern Alberta Rivers over a 1-Year Period as Revealed by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and 18S rRNA Gene Library Analyses

“…Cyanobacteria are also smaller, thus providing advantages over the larger Chloroplastidae, such as a lower sinking rate (71) and more efficient nutrient acquisition due to the lower diffusion boundary layer, which is a result of having a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio (55). Salmanian et al (62) suggested previously that Candida spp. play a role in the environmental persistence of Helicobacter pylori, which was once considered part of the genus Campylobacter and is associated with gastric ulcers in humans (54).…”

Natural fruits, flowers, honey, and honeybees harborHelicobacter pylori‐positive yeasts

“…Negative amplification results: Candida glabrata and Komagetella pastoris (lanes 1 and 4), positive control (lane 7), negative control (lane 8), and molecular ladder, ML (lane 9)F I G U R E 5 Frequency of Helicobacter pylori-positive and -negative yeasts in 4 groups of collected samples; oral swabs, flowers and fruits, honey and the bee, and miscellaneous. Whether these yeasts can release H. pylori once ingested remains to be elucidated 93. These results indicate that the intracellular occurrence of H. pylori inside yeast cells is not related to a particular genus and may occur in different genera of yeasts.…”