How Is Helicobacter Pylori Transmitted?

Helicobacter pylori has been recognized as an etiologic agent for peptic ulcer disease, and seroprevalence studies indicate that infection with this organism occurs in most humans. It is not readily found in the environment, however, so the route of acquisition has been unclear. New data now suggest that person-to-person transmission by gastric-oral and fecal-oral routes may be of great importance.

Twenty-six healthy adult volunteers, 16 of whom were known to have H. pylori infection, were recruited for a controlled experimental study. At baseline, H. pylori could be identified by PCR analysis in stool samples from only 5 infected individuals and by culture in none. After a cathartic was administered, H. pylori was found by PCR in stool samp…