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Adhesion of water stressed Helicobacter pylori to abiotic surfaces

Adhesion of water stressed Helicobacter pylori to abiotic surfaces
Adhesion of water stressed Helicobacter pylori to abiotic surfaces
Aim:?
The main aim of this work was to study and compare the adhesion of water exposed Helicobacter pylori to six different substrata and correlate any changes in morphology, physiology, ability to form aggregates and cultivability when in the planktonic or in the sessile phase. Methods and Results:?
The number of total cells adhered for different water exposure times and modifications in the cell shape were evaluated using epifluorescence and scanning electron microscopy, and physiology assessed using Syto9 and propidium iodide (PI) cellular uptake. All abiotic surfaces were rapidly colonized by H. pylori, and colonization appeared to reach a steady state after 96?h with levels ranging from 2·3?×?106 to 3·6?×?106?total cells?cm?2. Cell morphology was largely dependent on the support material, with spiral bacteria, associated with the infectious form of H. pylori, subsisting in a higher percentage on nonpolymeric substrata. Also, sessile bacteria were generally able to retain the spiral shape for longer when compared with planktonic bacteria, which became coccoid more quickly. The formation of large aggregates, which may act as a protection mechanism against the negative impact of the stressful external environmental conditions, was mostly observed on the surface of copper coupons. However, Syto9 and PI staining indicates that most of H. pylori attached to copper or SS304 have a compromised cell membrane after only 48?h. Cultivability methods were only able to detect the bacteria up to the 2?h exposure-time and at very low levels (up to 500?CFU?cm?2). Conclusions:?
The fact that the pathogen is able to adhere, retain the spiral morphology for longer and form large aggregates when attached to different plumbing materials appeared to point to pipe materials in general, and copper plumbing in particular, as a possible reservoir of virulent H. pylori in water distribution systems. However, the Syto9/PI staining results and cultivability methods indicate that the attached H. pylori cells quickly enter in a nonviable physiological state. Significance and Impact of the Study:?
This represents the first study of H. pylori behaviour in water-exposed abiotic surfaces. It suggests that co-aggregation with the autochthonous heterotrophic consortia present in water is necessary for a longer survival of the pathogen in biofilms associated to drinking water systems.
adhesion, copper, Helicobacter pylori, morphology, substrata, water
1364-5072
718-724
Azevedo, N.F.
c90d7c41-e45a-404d-9472-9d0b411448e7
Pacheco, A.P.
58f03fb4-176d-40f7-bca7-458e60729e64
Keevil, C.W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Vieira, M.J.
b13909e0-b086-49fc-b589-3fb9d2a02577
Azevedo, N.F.
c90d7c41-e45a-404d-9472-9d0b411448e7
Pacheco, A.P.
58f03fb4-176d-40f7-bca7-458e60729e64
Keevil, C.W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Vieira, M.J.
b13909e0-b086-49fc-b589-3fb9d2a02577

Azevedo, N.F., Pacheco, A.P., Keevil, C.W. and Vieira, M.J. (2006) Adhesion of water stressed Helicobacter pylori to abiotic surfaces. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 101 (3), 718-724. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2006.03029.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aim:?
The main aim of this work was to study and compare the adhesion of water exposed Helicobacter pylori to six different substrata and correlate any changes in morphology, physiology, ability to form aggregates and cultivability when in the planktonic or in the sessile phase. Methods and Results:?
The number of total cells adhered for different water exposure times and modifications in the cell shape were evaluated using epifluorescence and scanning electron microscopy, and physiology assessed using Syto9 and propidium iodide (PI) cellular uptake. All abiotic surfaces were rapidly colonized by H. pylori, and colonization appeared to reach a steady state after 96?h with levels ranging from 2·3?×?106 to 3·6?×?106?total cells?cm?2. Cell morphology was largely dependent on the support material, with spiral bacteria, associated with the infectious form of H. pylori, subsisting in a higher percentage on nonpolymeric substrata. Also, sessile bacteria were generally able to retain the spiral shape for longer when compared with planktonic bacteria, which became coccoid more quickly. The formation of large aggregates, which may act as a protection mechanism against the negative impact of the stressful external environmental conditions, was mostly observed on the surface of copper coupons. However, Syto9 and PI staining indicates that most of H. pylori attached to copper or SS304 have a compromised cell membrane after only 48?h. Cultivability methods were only able to detect the bacteria up to the 2?h exposure-time and at very low levels (up to 500?CFU?cm?2). Conclusions:?
The fact that the pathogen is able to adhere, retain the spiral morphology for longer and form large aggregates when attached to different plumbing materials appeared to point to pipe materials in general, and copper plumbing in particular, as a possible reservoir of virulent H. pylori in water distribution systems. However, the Syto9/PI staining results and cultivability methods indicate that the attached H. pylori cells quickly enter in a nonviable physiological state. Significance and Impact of the Study:?
This represents the first study of H. pylori behaviour in water-exposed abiotic surfaces. It suggests that co-aggregation with the autochthonous heterotrophic consortia present in water is necessary for a longer survival of the pathogen in biofilms associated to drinking water systems.

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More information

Published date: 1 September 2006
Keywords: adhesion, copper, Helicobacter pylori, morphology, substrata, water

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 56762
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/56762
ISSN: 1364-5072
PURE UUID: 73f99fff-bde9-4ad2-b28d-7695ad2b6056
ORCID for C.W. Keevil: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1917-7706

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 08 Aug 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:24

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Contributors

Author: N.F. Azevedo
Author: A.P. Pacheco
Author: C.W. Keevil ORCID iD
Author: M.J. Vieira

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