F. Namavar et al., PRESENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN THE ORAL CAVITY, ESOPHAGUS, STOMACH AND FECES OF PATIENTS WITH GASTRITIS, European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases, 14(3), 1995, pp. 234-237
The presence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity (6 sites), oeso
phagus, stomach and bowel of 20 dyspeptic patients was investigated, S
amples were cultured on three selective media and analyzed by 16S rDNA
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and southern hybridization. Helicobac
ter pylori DNA was detected by PCR from oral-cavity samples of three (
20 %) and from faeces samples of only one (7 %) of the patients whose
stomach biopsies were positive for Helicobacter pylori. When culture w
as used, the microorganism's rate of recovery from the oral cavity and
faeces was 13 % and 7 %, respectively. One patient had a Helicobacter
pylori-like organism in samples collected from the tongue and palate.
Both strains were urease, catalase and oxidase positive and grew micr
oaerophilically but were negative on PCR analysis. This demonstrates t
he possibility of false identification of Helicobacter pylori by use o
f routine enzyme reactions. Interestingly, specimens collected from th
e cheeks of three patients were positive for Helicobacter pylori by PC
R analysis. This is the first instance of detection of this microorgan
ism in the cheek.