Article Main
Multicolonisation and mixed Helicobacter pylori infections: situation in Tunisian patients
Published: 2026-02-28
Abstract
H .pylori is known as one of the bacterial species having greatest genetic polymorphism in the world. It is also known that this genetic diversity could be due to mixed infections followed by genetic exchanges between several strains. Our study aimed to determine the presence of both multiple and mixed infections, for that goal, it is important to work on pure isolates obtained from isolated colonies and not from the mixture of different colonies harvested together on the first culture plate. Antral and fundic biopsies were taken and studied separately. The multicolonisation was defined as simultaneous presence of several strains in the same patient, whether it is antral, fundic or both. Antibiotic susceptibility of the H.pylori strains was tested by disk diffusion method and E-test. The Tunisian strains were more polymorphic. Exchanges of genetic material between the various strains were probable. The Tunisian subjects seemed to be colonized by different strains or different clones from the same strain. Several hypotheses might be proposed: initial infection by at least two different strains, infections by different strains at different times, recolonisations are probable.
Keywords
References
- 1. Marshall BJ, Warren JR. Unidentified curved bacilli in the stomach of patient with gastritis and peptic ulceration. Lancet 1984 ; 1:1311-1315.
- 2. Fendri C Prévalence of the infection with Helicobacter pylori and evolutionary tendency in the Maghreb countries. The letter of the infectiologist. 2000; Volume XV (3):24-27.
- 3. Taylor, D. E., Mr. Eaton, N Chang, and S. Mr. Salama. Construction of has Helicobacter pylori genomist map and demonstration of diversity at the genomist level. J Bacteriol. 1992; 174:6800-6.
- 4. Linz, B, F Balloux, Y. Moodley, A. Manica, H. Liu, P. Roumagnac, D. Falush, C Stamer, F Prugnolle, S. W van der Merwe, Y. Yamaoka, D. Y. Graham, E Perez-Trallero, T Wadstrom, S. Suerbaum, and Mr. Achtman. Year African origin for the intimate association between humans and Helicobacter pylori. Nature. 2007; 445:915-8.
- 5. Hirschl, A. M., Mr. Richter, A. Makristathis, P. Mr. Pruckl, B Willinger, K Schutze, and Mr. L Rotter. Multiple Single and strain colonization in patients with Helicobacter pylori - associated gastritis: detection by macrorestriction DNA analysis. J Repugnant Say. 1994; 170:473-5.
- 6. Yakoob, J, X G Fan, G L Hu, H. X Yang, L Liu, S. H. Liu, D. M. Tan, T G Li, and Z Zhang. Polycolonization of Helicobacter pylori among Chinese subjects. Repugnant Microbiol Covering joint. 2001; 7:187-92.
- 7. Kersulyte, D., H. Chalkauskas, and D. E. Berg. Emergence of recombining strains of Helicobacter pylori during human infection. Mol Microbiol. 1999; 31:31-43.
- 8. Ben Mansour K, Fendri C, Zribi M, Masmoudi A, Labbene M, Fillali A, Ben Mami N, Najjar T, Meherzi A, Sfar T, Burucoa C: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori vacA, cagA, iceA and oipA genotypes in Tunisian patients. Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials 2010,9(10):1-7
- 9. Burucoa, C., Lhomme, V., Fauchere, J.L., 1999. Performance criteria of DNA fingerprinting methods for typing of Helicobacter pylori isolates : experimental results and meta-analysis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37, 4071–4080.
- 10. Van Doorn LJ, Figueiredo C, Rossau R, Jannes G, van Asboek M, Soussa JC, Carneiro F, Quint WG Typing of Helicobacter pylori vacA gene and detection of cagA gene by PCR and reverse hybridization. J Microbiol Covering joint. 1998; 36:1271-1276.
- 11. Gonzalez-Valencia G, Atherton JC, Munoz O, Dehesa M, Garza AM, Torres J. Helicobacter pylori vacA and cagA genotypes in Mexican adults and children. J Repugnant Say. 2000; 182:1450-1454.
- 12. Kersulyte D, Chalkauskas H, Berg OF Emergence of recombining strains of Helicobacter pylori during human infection. Mol Microbiol. 1999; 31:31-43.
- 13. Dubois A, Berg OF, Incecik AND, Fiala N, Heman-Ackah LM, Del Valle J, Yang M, Wirth, Perez-Perez GI, Blaser MJ. Host specificity of Helicobacter pylori strains and host responses in experimently challenged nonhuman primates. Gastroenterology.1999;116:90-96.
- 14. Yakoob J, Fan K G, Hu G L, Yang H. X, Liu S. H., Tan D. M., Li T G and Zhang Z (2001). Polycolonization of Helicobacter pylori among Chinese subjects. Repugnant Microbiol Covering joint. 7:187-192.
- 15. Nina R. S., Gonzalez-Valencia G, Deatherage B, Aviles-Jimenez F, Atherton J C, Graham D. Y. and Torres J (2007). Genetic Analysis of Helicobacter pylori Strain Populations Colonizing the Stomach at Different Times Postinfection. J Bacteriol. 189 (10):3834 –3845.