The maintenance of viability and spiral morphology of Helicobacter pylori in mineral water

Ultrastructural investigations are required to determine whether or not H. pylori can maintain the membranous structures intact under osmotically unsuitable conditions such as in water. To clarify the viability, the morphology and the bacterial ultrastructure in water, H. pylori strain ATCC 43504 cultured in BBL liquid medium (Difco, Detroit, MI, USA) supplemented with horse serum 5% on the first day, was stored in a commercial mineral water at 4 degree C for 7 days. The growth of the organism was then determined by plate count and the bacterial morphology and the ultrastructure were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The organism cultured in the liquid medium for 8 days under microaerobic conditions at 37 degree C was used as a control.