Helicobacter Pylori in The Canadian Arctic: Seroprevalence and Detection in Community Water Samples

Abstract

The seroprevalence of H. pylori in the study group was higher than rates in southern Canadian populations, but lower than the seroprevalence previously documented in a Canadian subarctic Indian (First Nations) community. The detection of H. pylori in local water supplies may indicate a natural reservoir for the organism or possible contamination from human sewage.

Risk Factors Associated with Helicobacter Pylori Infections in Makurdi Northcentral Nigeria

“…This agreed with the findings of Mckeown et al who reported that antibody status did not differ with respect to alcohol [18]. This did not however agree with the findings of Zhang et al who reported an association between the two in Australia.…”

“…The findings of this study did not also agree with the study by Papiez et al that water-borne transmission of H. pylori could be an important source of infection in developing countries [8]. A study in Guatemala reported that H. pylori was unlikely to be transmitted by water [17] but epidemiological studies in many countries such as China [18], Lima Peru [19], and Colombia [20] had shown that infection was related to H. pylori contaminated water sources. Dube et al also reported that H. pylori could live in tap water in its infectious bacillary form, and in river water for several months in the nonculturable but viable cocoid form.…”

“…Ahmed et al in South India also reported that the prevalence of H. pylori infection among people who drank well water was 92% compared with 74.8% of those who drank tap water (p<0.001) [3]. Several Epidemiological studies in many countries such as rural China, Lima Peru and Colombia had also shown that infection was related to H. pylori contaminated water sources [18][19][20]. However, in agreement with our study, Klein et al reported in a study in Guatemala that H. pylori were unlikely to be transmitted by water [17].…”

Transmission of Helicobacter pylori and the role of water and biofilms

“…Mexico (Mazari-Hiriart et al 2001) and Peru (Hulten et al 1996), from water samples taken from a delivery truck in the Canadian Arctic (McKeown et al 1999) and from drinking water storage pots in the Gambia (Bunn et al 2002). A study by Hulten et al (1998) used two PCR assays to examine municipal treated and well water samples from all 25 counties of Sweden for the presence of Helicobacter DNA: 37.5% of wells, 12% of municipal sources and 12% of wastewater samples were found to be positive for Helicobacter DNA.…”