Helicobacter pylori detection in gastric biopsies, saliva and dental plaque of Brazilian dyspeptic patients

Helicobacter pylori is an important human pathogen that causes chronic gastritis and is associated with the development of peptic ulcer disease and gastric malignancies. The oral cavity has been implicated as a potential H. pylori reservoir and may therefore be involved in the reinfection of the stomach, which can sometimes occur following treatment of an H. pylori infection. The objectives of this paper were (i) to determine the presence of H. pylori in the oral cavity and (ii) to examine the relationship between oral H. pylori and subsequent gastritis. Gastric biopsies, saliva samples and dental plaques were obtained from 78 dyspeptic adults. DNA was extracted and evaluated for the presence of H. pylori using polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting methods. Persons with gastritis were frequently positive for H. pylori in their stomachs (p < 0.0001) and there was a statistically significant correlation between the presence of H. pylori in gastric biopsies and the oral cavity (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest a relationship between gastric infection and the presence of this bacterium in the oral cavity. Despite this, H. pylori were present in the oral cavity with variable distribution between saliva and dental plaques, suggesting the existence of a reservoir for the species and a potential association with gastric reinfection.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Rasmussen,Lucas Trevizani, Labio,Roger William de, Gatti,Luciano Lobo, Silva,Luiz Carlos da, Queiroz,Valdeir Fagundes de, Smith,Marília de Arruda Cardoso, Payão,Spencer Luiz Marques
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 2010
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02762010000300015
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!