Candida sp. As a Potential Reservoir and Transmission Facilitator of Helicobacter Pylori

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium broadly distributed in the world, colonizing nearly 50% of the human population. Its niche is the human stomach, where it is able to generate several gastric pathologies. A numbers of studies have detected Candida sp. together with H. pylori in the stomach, condition which could increase the severity of the gastric damage. Nevertheless, the association between these two microorganisms is closer because it has been reported that H. pylori can be found active within vacuoles of yeasts belonging to genus Candida. This association is present in yeasts isolated from diverse sources including foods as well as human bodies, such as mouth and vagina of pregnant women, suggesting the presence of a novel mechanism of protection and a means of transportation which facilitates H. pylori transmission. The aim of the present work is to review the relationship between H. pylori and yeasts of the genus Candida and the role of yeasts in the persistence of H. pylori worldwide infection.

In Search for Reasons behind Helicobacter pylori Eradication Failure–Assessment of the Antibiotics Resistance Rate and Co-Existence of Helicobacter pylori with Candida Species

“…Biofilm provides a self-protective matrix that can make the bacteria up to 1000 times more resistant to antibiotics, and this mechanism could also potentially contribute to the failure of H. pylori eradication efforts [ 16 ]. Furthermore, it has recently been shown that H. pylori behaves as a facultative intracellular bacterium, found inside eukaryotic cells including human gastric epithelial cells, and macrophages and dendritic immune cells [ 17 , 18 ]. Interestingly, the presence of H. pylori inside the Candida yeasts’ vacuoles has been confirmed recently by fluorescence microscopy and H. pylori -specific genes and proteins have been isolated from the yeast cells [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”

“…Furthermore, it has recently been shown that H. pylori behaves as a facultative intracellular bacterium, found inside eukaryotic cells including human gastric epithelial cells, and macrophages and dendritic immune cells [ 17 , 18 ]. Interestingly, the presence of H. pylori inside the Candida yeasts’ vacuoles has been confirmed recently by fluorescence microscopy and H. pylori -specific genes and proteins have been isolated from the yeast cells [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Internalization of the H. pylori inside the Candida yeast cells has been characterized as a protective adaptation to stressful conditions, including changes in pH values, antibiotics treatments, and nutrient-deficient environment [ 16 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

“…Internalization of the H. pylori inside the Candida yeast cells has been characterized as a protective adaptation to stressful conditions, including changes in pH values, antibiotics treatments, and nutrient-deficient environment [ 16 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. This endosymbiotic relationship has been demonstrated in samples from various body sites, including oral, gastric, and vaginal samples and different food sources [ 17 ]. In contrast to H. pylori , Candida cells are resistant to environmental stress and can survive temperatures above 40 °C and a pH in the range between 2 and 10 [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

“…This endosymbiotic relationship has been demonstrated in samples from various body sites, including oral, gastric, and vaginal samples and different food sources [ 17 ]. In contrast to H. pylori , Candida cells are resistant to environmental stress and can survive temperatures above 40 °C and a pH in the range between 2 and 10 [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Several studies have shown that Candida colonization of the gastric mucosa is associated with several gastric pathologies.…”