title: Presence of Helicobacter pylori in drinking water of Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is an increasing problem in developing countries. Several environmental factors such as overcrowding, poverty, contaminated drinking water and food are considered to contribute toward transmission of infection; however, little is known about their definitive roles. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of H. pylori in drinking water samples of Karachi, Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of drinking water were collected from 18 different towns located in the metropolitan area of Karachi. Samples were concentrated by membrane filtration method and subjected to PCR for the detection of H. pylori.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two out of 50 (4%) samples collected from two different densely populated town areas were found to be positive for H. pylori.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides evidence for the presence of H. pylori in municipal drinking water of Karachi.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan. adnankh@uok.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farooqui
authors.forename: Shahana Urooj
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kazmi
mesh_terms: D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003906:Developing Countries; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D060766:Drinking Water