title: Helicobacter pylori isolated from Iranian drinking water: vacA, cagA, iceA, oipA and babA2 genotype status and antimicrobial resistance properties.
abstract: Despite the clinical importance of Helicobacter pylori in human gastric disorders, its exact route of transmission is still uncertain. Based on the contentious hypothesis and findings of previous investigations, water may play an important role in the transmission of H. pylori to humans. This study was carried out to investigate the vacA, cagA, oipA, iceA and babA2 genotype status and antimicrobial resistance properties of H. pylori strains isolated from the drinking water samples of four major provinces in Iran. A total of 400 drinking water samples were cultured and tested. H. pylori-positive strains were analyzed for the presence of various genotypes and antimicrobial resistance. Twelve of 400 (3%) water samples were positive for H. pylori. Samples from Isfahan province had the highest, while those from Shiraz had the lowest prevalence of H. pylori. The seasonal distribution was also determined, with the highest prevalence of bacteria in the summer season (7.36%). H. pylori strains harbored the highest levels of resistance against ampicillin (100%), erythromycin (75%), clarithromycin (75%), and trimethoprim (58.3%). The most commonly detected genotypes were vacAs1a (83.3%), vacAm1a (66.6%), vacAs2 (50%) and cagA (50%). The presence of similar genotypes in the H. pylori strains of drinking water and those of human clinical samples suggest that contaminated water maybe the sources of bacteria. Spiramycin and furazolidone are suggested for the treatment of cases of H. pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Research Center Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranjbar
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences Sabzevar Iran.
authors.forename: Faham
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khamesipour
authors.affiliation: Health Research Center Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran.
authors.forename: Nematollah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jonaidi-Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Shahrekord Branch Islamic Azad University Shahrekord Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rahimi
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; Iran; antibiotic resistance properties; drinking water; genotypes; genotyping