title: High frequency of Helicobacter pylori DNA in drinking water in Kermanshah, Iran, during June-November 2012.
abstract: To gain a better understanding of transmission and selecting appropriate measures for preventing the spread of Helicobacter pylori, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in drinking water samples in Kermanshah, Iran. Drinking water samples were collected from around Kermanshah and filtered through 0.45 μm nitrocellulose filters. The bacterial sediment was subjected to DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for H. pylori detection using newly designed primers targeted at the conserved region of the ureC gene. The overall detection rates for H. pylori DNA in the water samples were 56% (66/118) with a frequency of 36% (25/70) in tap water samples and 85% (41/48) in wells. The detection limit was 50 bacteria per liter of filtered water and a pure H. pylori DNA copy number of 6 per reaction. Based on the evidence we may suggest that recontamination occurred and H. pylori entered into the water piping system through cracked or broken pipes or was released from established H. pylori biofilms on pipes. In conclusion, a high prevalence of H. pylori was detected in drinking water samples that strengthens the evidence of H. pylori transmission through drinking water.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Shirudi blvd., Parastar blvd, Postal code: 6714869914, Kermanshah, Iran E-mail: ah_alvandi@kums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Alvandi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amirhooshang
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Shirudi blvd., Parastar blvd, Postal code: 6714869914, Kermanshah, Iran E-mail: ah_alvandi@kums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Abiri
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramin
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center and Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Aryan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehsan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Rezaei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Shirudi blvd., Parastar blvd, Postal code: 6714869914, Kermanshah, Iran E-mail: ah_alvandi@kums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Bagherabadi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shahram
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002947:Cities; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007492:Iran; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D060766:Drinking Water