Could
my municipal water supply have the bacteria that causes ulcers?
APEC
Water
This is not very
likely.
Even though very
little is currently known about the epidemiology of Helicobactor pylori, the
bacterium associated with stomach ulcers — it is believed that all standard
disinfection methods used in the U.S. are capable of killing this organism in
drinking water.
But here is what we
understand most about this issue...
Dr. Katherine Baker,
Assistant Professor of Environmental Microbiology and John Hegarty, a graduate
student at Penn State Harrisburg, found H. pylori in more than 75 percent of 36
tested surface water samples in Central Pennsylvania.
This study is the
first report of H. pylori in surface water in the United States, demonstrating
a major reservoir for this organism outside the human body.
The results of the
research were delivered on in May at the 98th General Meeting of the American
Society for Microbiology in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Water
looks to be a major factor in the transmission of the bacterium," Dr. Baker said,
pointing out that the organism was found in both surface water and untreated
groundwater from shallow wells where surface water contamination is likely to
occur.
H. pylori was first
described in the early 1980s by Australian researchers.
The organism is found
in the stomachs of the majority of people in the world.
In most people, H.
pylori does not cause any disease. In a small percentage of individuals, the
organism causes serious consequences.
It is now accepted
that H. pylori is the cause of most duodenal ulcers and between 70 and 80
percent of gastric ulcers.
In the late 1980s, a
link between H. pylori and certain types of stomach cancer was shown by
researchers at Stanford University.
Epidemiological
studies have shown that infection with H. pylori is associated with the level
of sanitation, particularly water sanitation.
In developed
countries, less than 50 percent of the population is typically infected, while
in developing countries the infection is almost universal.
In addition, H.
pylori DNA has been found in sewage contaminated water samples in Peru where
the infection rate is extremely high, leading researchers to speculate that
water might be a source of infection.
Normal testing
procedures do not detect the presence of active H. pylori in water.
Therefore, the Penn
State researchers had to develop a method to detect the organism.
The researchers
combined two staining techniques to enable them to count metabolically active
(viable) H. pylori in water samples.
The first stain
specifically reacts with H. pylori allowing the researchers to distinguish this
organism from other microorganisms in a water sample.
The second stain only
reacts with organisms that are active.
Since the staining
process is quite labor intensive, the team's next step is to develop their
detection method into a quick and easy test for monitoring water for this
harmful bacteria.
Initially, Dr. Baker
limited her study to surface water.
Shortly after the
research began, one of the secretaries in her department called Dr. Baker
because the secretary's mother had just been diagnosed with an H. pylori
infection.
"Her
drinking water came from an untreated shallow well and she just recently had
started to drink lots of water to help her lose weight."
Dr. Baker, examined
water from the well after a rain storm when surface water contamination was
likely to be high and found active H. pylori.
Dr.
Baker notes that "while we do not have conclusive evidence that the
contaminated groundwater caused the woman's H. pylori infection, the
possibility certainly exists"
Dr. Baker emphasizes
that the research thus far has been limited to untreated water sources.
"More
than half of Pennsylvania's residents obtain their drinking water from
non-municipal supplies. Many of these individuals draw their water from shallow
wells which receive no disinfection. Therefore, we targeted non-municipal
supplies in our research."
There is no evidence
that H. pylori is found in treated drinking water supplies, and research by the
Environmental Protection Agency indicates that chlorine disinfection, as
commonly used for municipal water supplies, kills H. pylori.
"I
certainly have no qualms about drinking municipal water," Dr. Baker notes.
For those people who
obtain their drinking water from untreated wells, Dr. Baker recommends having
the well tested to see if surface water contamination occurs.
If it does, or if
individuals wish to take additional precautions, Dr. Baker said having a
disinfection system installed is a good idea.
If you have severe
stomach ulcers, see your doctor for treatment regardless of your water supply.
Persons with ulcers
are more likely to develop stomach cancer and other cancers of the intestinal
track, and great diligence is advised to those who develop ulcers.
About APEC
Water
APEC,
Advanced Purification Engineering Corp. APEC is the leading manufacturer of
residential reverse osmosis drinking water filtration systems in the United
States. We are based out of the City of Industry, California where we designe
and assemble our famous Reverse Osmosis Systems.
With
more than 20 years of industry experience and a loyal customer base that spans
the globe, we are proud of our unbeatable reputation in delivering the highest
quality water filtration systems. Our products are shipped worldwide to treat
all types of water problems and have been employed successfully for a variety
of residential, commercial and industrial applications.
APEC systems are designed, engineered and assembled at our laboratories here in the United States where they are thoroughly inspected and tested before shipping. In the past 20 years, our superior engineering, design expertise, and attention to detail qualities have earned our products the distinction of being the most durable water-filtration systems on the market. We are one of the last manufacturers whose membranes and primary filters are all manufactured in the United States.
This
website is our direct channel to the public. Our mission is to provide our
visitors with useful, current information on the importance of water treatment
as it pertains to their health, while delivering affordable water filtration
solutions through our factory direct discounts and pricing.
In the
years ahead, look to APEC to be at the forefront of design and innovation in
the ever-changing water purification industry.
APEC has
been developing customized water treatment systems for over 20 years. The
following are just a few of the organizations that have utilized our systems
for their water purification solutions.
https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_health/health2/municipal-water-supply-bacteria-ulcers.htm
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