Natural maternal transmission of H. pylori in Mongolian gerbils

AIM: To investigate maternal H pylori infection status to determine the potential of maternal transmission. METHODS: In the present study, we examined these issues in an experimental murine model, which is a Mongolian gerbil model that has been reported as an optimal laboratory animal model to study H pylori . Pregnant Mongolian gerbils, infected experimentally with H pylori, were divided into as four groups. Following the experimental design, the stomachs of the mother and litters were isolated and assessed for transmission of H pylori at the prenatal period, parturition day, 1-wk old and 3-wk old respectively. Bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to examine the presence of transmitted H pylori. RESULTS: All litters showed no transmission of H pylori during pregnancy and at parturition day. However, they revealed 33.3% and 69.6% at 1-wk and 3-wk of age respectively by PCR. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that vertical infection during the prenatal period or delivery procedure is unlikely as a route of mother-to-child H pylori infection. It may be that H pylori is acquired through breast- feeding, contaminated saliva and fecal-oral transmission during co-habitation.