title: Biofilm formation enhances Helicobacter pylori survivability in vegetables.
abstract: To date, the exact route and mode of transmission of Helicobacter pylori remains elusive. The detection of H. pylori in food using molecular approaches has led us to postulate that the gastric pathogen may survive in the extragastric environment for an extended period. In this study, we show that H. pylori prolongs its survival by forming biofilm and micro-colonies on vegetables. The biofilm forming capability of H. pylori is both strain and vegetable dependent. H. pylori strains were classified into high and low biofilm formers based on their highest relative biofilm units (BU). High biofilm formers survived longer on vegetables compared to low biofilm formers. The bacteria survived better on cabbage compared to other vegetables tested. In addition, images captured on scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopes revealed that the bacteria were able to form biofilm and reside as micro-colonies on vegetable surfaces, strengthening the notion of possible survival of H. pylori on vegetables for an extended period of time. Taken together, the ability of H. pylori to form biofilm on vegetables (a common food source for human) potentially plays an important role in its survival, serving as a mode of transmission of H. pylori in the extragastric environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117545, Singapore.
authors.forename: Chow Goon
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mun Fai
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Loke
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Khean Lee
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Jamuna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vadivelu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117545, Singapore; Singapore Precision Medicine Centre Pte Ltd, Singapore 608783, Singapore. Electronic address: michob@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bow
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D001937:Brassica / Q000382:microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D050296:Microbial Viability; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000382:microbiology; D014675:Vegetables / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Biofilm; Extragastric environment; Helicobacter pylori; Survival; Transmission; Vegetables