VacA gene analysis of Helicobacter pylori isolates and their relationship to gastric diseases in Trinidad and Tobago
Background: There is implication of Helicobacter pylori infection in various gastric disorders, and understanding their genetic variations among strains can enhance treatment efficacy. Notably, differences in the vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) gene have been associated with higher incidence rates. T...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971224008415 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Background: There is implication of Helicobacter pylori infection in various gastric disorders, and understanding their genetic variations among strains can enhance treatment efficacy. Notably, differences in the vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) gene have been associated with higher incidence rates. This gene exhibits variable regions, with alleles including type M1 (subtype a), M2 (subtype a, or b), S1 (subtype a, b, and c), or S2. The investigation of VacA gene is crucial due to its high production by H. pylori. Methods: One hundred (n=100) patient who presented with clinical features suggestive of peptic disease were enrolled in the study. These underwent gastroscopy procedures and four gastric biopsy specimens were collected from each patient, placed in sterile universal containers with 0.9% saline solution. Immediately after each occasion, the samples were transported to the laboratory for culture, serological and molecular analysis. Following DNA extraction, amplification of the variable VacA, UreC, and 16S rRNA regions were perfomed by PCR. Then followed by sequencing (Macrogen, South Korea) and alignment. Phylogenetic analysis and DNA fragment alignment were carried out using DNA MEGA 6 version 20. Results: Among the patients, 70 tested positives for Helicobacter pylori infection using enzyme immune assay (EIA). All were 16S rRNA positive, with 6 (8.5%) testing positive for S1 and 64 (91.5%) for S2. The most prevalent vacA allelic combination was S2M1 (40 cases), followed by S2M2 (3, cases) and S1M1 (5, cases). All S1M1 strains were UreC positive, while S1M2 strains were UreC negative. Discussion: Strain variations are evident in the Trinidad and Tobago isolates in comparison to other strains analyzed. These variations may be the major factors associated with the virulence of the strains and the environment or geographical region from which they are isolated may also assist in the level of virulence. The strains that are most closely related to the Trinidad strain were form the USA, India, and Indonesia. However, the factors contributing to the emergence of S2/M1 been more prevalent will need to be further investigated. Conclusion: There was a very high incidence of H. pylori among patients with peptic ulcer patient in the area. The findings underscore the importance of genetic variations in H. pylori strains, association with peptic ulcers and their potential implications for gastric disorders. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1201-9712 |