Marie T. Dowd

M.Eng. Environmental Pollution Control - June 1997

Water Transmission of Helicobacter pylori

The possibility that H. pylori is water-borne was examined. H. pylori persisted longer than E. coli in filtered tap water at 15°C based on DAPI-INT staining. Bacteria in distilled water were exposed to chlorine and stained with INT. The INT viable counts indicated that H. pylori are more resistant to chlorination than E. coli. Microorganisms binding polyclonal anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody were found in seven surface water samples. These observations support a waterborne route of transmission for H. pylori.