First national survey of the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in Clinical Microbiology Laboratories in Spain

Knowledge and Perception of Physicians of Different Specialties in Saudi Arabia Toward Helicobacter pylori

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a key pathogen causing several gastrointestinal diseases. Fortunately, H. pylori infection is treatable, which can lower its comorbidities. However, data assessing physicians' awareness of H. pylori is lacking in Saudi Arabia.

Objective

To assess the knowledge and awareness of physicians of different specialties who practice in Saudi Arabia about H. pylori infection.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study conducted between May and September 2022 on physicians across all regions in Saudi Arabia using a validated online questionnaire covering their knowledge and awareness of H. pylori infection. An independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Games-Howell as a post hoc test were used to analyze the data. A General Linear Model was also employed to determine significant predictors among the variables reliant on H. pylori awareness.

Results

The results showed that the mean awareness score of 474 physicians was 76.99± 6.9, indicating that participants had sufficient knowledge about H. pylori infection. In general, the internal medicine specialists (28.3%) had better awareness of H. pylori infection than the other specialties. Moreover, the university hospital sector performed the best, scoring 80.68±13.3, and the southern region had the highest-ranked physicians with a score of 81.56 ±13.7 in terms of H. pylori awareness. Furthermore, the general linear model revealed a statistical significance (p<0.05) for the following demographic aspects concerning H. pylori awareness: the physicians' age group of 30-39 years, duration of experience of 11-15 years, the hospital sectors of Nation Guards (NGH) and Security Forces (SFH), and the southern and central regions of practice in Saudi Arabia.

Conclusion

Physicians in Saudi Arabia have relatively sufficient awareness of H. pylori; however, they are highly influenced by age, years of experience, the hospital sector involved, and the region where the physicians practice.

Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity of a Lactobacillus sp. PW-7 Exopolysaccharide

Helicobacter pylori is a cause of gastric cancer. We extracted the exopolysaccharide (EPS) of Lactobacillus plajomi PW-7 for antibacterial activity versus H. pylori, elucidating its biological activity and structural characteristics. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of EPS against H. pylori was 50 mg/mL. Disruption of the cell membranes of pathogenic bacteria by EPS was indicated via the antibacterial mechanism test and confirmed through electron microscopy. EPS also has antioxidant capacity. The IC₅₀ of EPS for 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide anions, and hydroxyl radicals were 300 μg/mL, 180 μg/mL, and 10 mg/mL, respectively. The reducing power of EPS was 2 mg/mL, equivalent to 20 μg/mL of ascorbic acid. EPS is a heteropolysaccharide comprising six monosaccharides, with an approximate molecular weight of 2.33 × 10⁴ Da. Xylose had a significant effect on H. pylori. EPS from L. plajomi PW-7 showed potential as an antibacterial compound and antioxidant, laying a foundation for the development of EPS-based foods.