Quantitative culture of Helicobacter pylori from gastric juice: the potential for transmission

The transmission of Helicobacter pylori may occur by spread of organisms fr om gastric juice which has been introduced into the mouth by gastro-oesopha geal reflux, The aim of this study was to quantify the load of H, pylori pr esent in gastric juice available for transmission. Gastric antral biopsy an d gastric juice samples were collected from 108 adult dyspeptic patients un dergoing routine upper gastroscopy and the presence of H. pylori was determ ined. In all, 54 (50%) of 108 patients gave positive results in the gastric antral biopsy rapid urease test and for H, pylori histology, The gastric j uice of 40 (37%) of patients gave positive results for the urease A gene by PCR assay; 34 (31%) of patients were positive by these three tests and H, pylori was cultured from the gastric juice of 13 (38%) of these patients. T he median count of H, pylori in gastric juice was 1.75 x 10(1) cfu/ml, Viab le organisms in gastric juice may lead to transmission of H, pylori when re fluxed or vomited into the mouth.