Analysis of Helicobacter pylori Genotypes Amongst Jordanians Dental Plaque Samples

Abstract

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been associated with gastritis, gastric ulcer, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastric cancer. The prevalence ofH. pylori virulence genes have been studied in different populations and from different sources of samples but their prevalence has not been studied in dental plaque in Jordanian people; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the genotypes ofH. pylori isolated from dental plaque samples.

Methods: Dental plaque samples were collected from 60 Jordanian volunteers. The genotypes ofH. pylori virulence genes including the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and the vacuolating toxin (vacA) were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: ThecagA gene was detected in 14 (23.3%) samples, whilevacA was detected in all volunteers enrolled in this study (100%). The most prevalentvacA alleles were m2 and s1 in 54 (90%) and 55 (91.7%) of volunteers, respectively. Compared to the other combinations including the most virulentvacA genotype s1/m1 which was detected in 11 (18.2%) of volunteers, the most prevalentvacA allelic combinations were s1/m2 and s2/m2 in 56 (93.3%) and 27 (45%) of volunteers, respectively.

Conclusions: These results indicate a significant carriage of virulentH. pylori strains among Jordanian people in their dental plaques, which increases the possible transmission of these strains among them. In addition, the studying of the genotypic pattern ofH. pylori virulence genes in the dental plaque could represent an essential tool for infection prevention and predicting the severity and prognosis ofH. pylori gastric infection.




Gastroenterol Res. 2018;11(1):46-51
doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/gr947w