Helicobacter pylori and Food Products: A Public Health Problem

Helicobacter pylori is a major human pathogen causing gastritis and chronic superficial infection (CSG). It colonizes the stomach of more than 50% of humans and causes disease (1 ). This microorganism is associated with the gastric antral epithelium in patients with active chronic gastritis, peptic (gastric) or duodenal ulcers, and gastric adenocarcinoma (2 –4 ) H. pylori is present in feces, sewage, and water (5 ) but is killed by routine chlorination. Therefore, in developing countries (6 ), consumption of sewage-contaminated drinking water and vegetables may pose a risk (7 ); properly cooking foods and chlorinating water reduces the risk of transmitting H. pylori to humans (see Note 1 ). In South America the consumption of raw vegetables fertilized with human feces has been found to be a risk factor for infection, and consumption of water from a municipal supply has been suggested as a risk factor for children (8 ).