Molecular characterization of Helicobacter pylori isolated from Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and fish handlers

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is a worldwide pathogen that affects both animals and humans with a wide environmental distribution, causing serious health problems in humans. This research has timely addressed the topic of new sources of H. pylori infection, which is currently a global issue, especially in developing countries. For this purpose, 115 Tilapia fish, 50 freshwater samples, and 88 fish-handlers’ stool samples were investigated for the presence of H. pylori in Qena Governorate, Egypt. The applied techniques were antigen screening tests, culturing, and molecular methods through ureC gene amplification, and 16 S rRNA characterization. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was detected in 7.83%, 14%, 4.35%, and 12% of the investigated fish and water samples by culture and PCR methods, respectively. Out of the total studied participants, 40 tested positive for H. pylori when screened by stool antigen test, of which 35 (39.77%), and 31 (35.23%) were confirmed by conventional and molecular techniques, respectively. The Fisher’s exact test has shown a statistically significant correlation between H. pylori infection, sex, and age as risk factors, while the association was insignificant concerning the residence. Males contracted the infection at a higher rate than females (48.08% and 16.67%, respectively). Also, H. pylori infection rate was the highest among fish-handlers aged 36–45 years old (46.67%), followed by the 26–35 years old age group (39.53%). With regard to the residence, a higher occurrence rate was recorded in the rural (36.07%) than the urban population (33.33%). Helicobacter pylori isolates harbored the highest antimicrobial resistance against ampicillin (100%), metronidazole (95.24%), while the least antimicrobial resistance was recorded against levofloxacin (21.43%), and clarithromycin (26.20%). The phylogenetic analysis revealed a high degree of homology between the isolates selected from Tilapia fish, freshwater, and fish-handlers. CONCLUSIONS: Our data emphasized the role that fish and freshwater play in disseminating H. pylori infection as one of the diseases that has a significant public health issue.