title: Animal Model Reveals Potential Waterborne Transmission of Helicobacter pylori Infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Helicobacter pylori infection has been consistently associated with lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation, but no studies have demonstrated that the transmission of H. pylori can occur from drinking contaminated water. In this study, we used a laboratory mouse model to test whether waterborne H. pylori could cause gastric infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Groups of immunocompetent C57/BL6 Helicobacter-free mice were exposed to static concentrations (1.29 × 10(5), 10(6), 10(7), 10(8), and 10(9) CFU/L) of H. pylori in their drinking water for 4 weeks. One group of Helicobacter-free mice was exposed to uncontaminated water as a negative control. H. pylori morphology changes in water were examined using microscopy Live/Dead staining. Following exposure, H. pylori infection and inflammation status in the stomach were evaluated using quantitative culture, PCR, the rapid urease test, and histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the mice in the negative control or 10(5) groups were infected. One of 20 cages (one of 40 mice) of the 10(6) group, three of 19 cages (four of 38 mice) of the 10(7) CFU/L group, 19 of 20 cages (33 of 40 mice) of the 10(8) group, and 20 of 20 cages (39 of 40 mice) of the 10(9) CFU/L group were infected. Infected mice had significantly higher gastric inflammation than uninfected mice (27.86% higher inflammation, p < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We offer proof that H. pylori in water is infectious in mice, suggesting that humans drinking contaminated water may be at risk of contracting H. pylori infection. Much work needs to be performed to better understand the risk of infection from drinking H. pylori-contaminated water.
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Kevin F
authors: KF
authors: Boehnke
authors: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Kathryn A
authors: KA
authors: Eaton
authors: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Valdivieso
authors: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Laurence H
authors: LH
authors: Baker
authors: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors: Chuanwu
authors: C
authors: Xi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050296:Microbial Viability; D008853:Microscopy; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; drinking water; mouse model; transmission