Identification of Helicobacter Pylori and Their Virulence Gene (cagA and vacA) in Saliva of Iraqi Adult Patients with Gastritis Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique
Author(s): Rawya A Mahmood* and Maha A Mahmood
Abstract
Background: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacteria that infects up to 50% of the global population. It has been identified as one of the major risk factors for acute and chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, and low grade gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas.
Objective: To detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori in saliva of patients with gastritis by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method.
Method: Un stimulated saliva samples were collected from 60 subjects (25 males, 35 females) attending the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Hospital in Baghdad medical city, and they diagnosed by physicians according to endoscopic findings as positive H. pylori (patient group) and negative H. pylori (control group) as they detected by specialist histopathologic during the period from December 2020 to April 2021.
PCR was used to amplify 16S rRNA genes specific for H. pylori and, the positive isolates to 16S rRNA were subjected to amplify cagA and vacA genes.
Results: of the 30 saliva samples, 16 (53.33%) sample were positive to 16S rRNA genes in patients group, while only 3/30 (10.00%) saliva samples gave positive result to 16S rRNA genes in control group. In patients, all of the samples were positive for vacA gene 16/16 (100), while 5 of 16 was positive for cagA gene (31.25%), whereas in control group, 3/3 (100%) of saliva samples were positive for the two genes.
Conclusion: Helicobacter pylori can be found in the oral cavity in addition to and independently of their presence in the stomach.