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Multiple infection and microdiversity among Helicobacter pylori isolates in a single host in India

Rajashree Patra1, Santanu Chattopadhyay, Ronita De

  • 1National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, India.

Plos One
|September 7, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Most Indian patients harbor diverse Helicobacter pylori strains, not just one. This genetic variation within hosts suggests repeated infections and may increase disease severity.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Helicobacter pylori is a highly diverse bacterium, chronically infecting over 70% of the Indian population.
  • Limited data exists on the microdiversity of H. pylori strains within individual gastric environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the extent of genetic diversity among H. pylori strains within a single host.
  • To understand the implications of H. pylori microdiversity on chronic infections and disease severity.

Main Methods:

  • Endoscopic sampling from 30 patients with gastro-duodenal issues.
  • Isolation and characterization of 10 single colonies per patient.
  • DNA fingerprinting and genotyping of key genetic markers (cagA, vacA, iceA, etc.) and cag Pathogen Associated Island (PAI) regions.

Main Results:

  • All 30 patients were infected with multiple H. pylori strains, some exhibiting 5-6 genetic variants.
  • Microdiversity was observed within colonies from single patients, possibly due to recombination during chronic carriage.
  • Genetic exchanges between unrelated strains were identified.

Conclusions:

  • The high prevalence of H. pylori microdiversity suggests repeated infections with genetically distinct strains.
  • This diversity may enhance the potential for superinfections and increase the likelihood of severe gastric disease.
  • Understanding H. pylori strain variability is crucial for effective treatment and management strategies.

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