Assessment of Helicobacter pylori Prevalence in Fresh Raw Meat: Species and Source-Based Analysis

Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is a major causative agent of chronic gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers,\r\ngastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Transmission to humans\r\nmay occur through the consumption of contaminated food. This study investigated the\r\nprevalence of H. pylori in fresh raw meat from different animal sources and assessed the\r\nefficiency of selective media for its recovery in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen. A total of\r\n380 meat samples, including beef (n = 125), sheep (n = 135), and goat (n = 120), were collected\r\nfrom slaughterhouses (n = 127), retail markets (n = 124), and butcher shops (n = 129). Three\r\nselective media: Modified Campy-blood Agar (MCA), Belo Horizonte Agar (BHA), and\r\nEgg Yolk Emulsion (EYE) medium were evaluated for comparative recovery from each\r\nmeat source. Overall, H. pylori was detected in 47 samples (12.4%), with a relatively high\r\nprevalence in beef (15.2%), followed by goat (12.5%) and sheep (9.6%). By source, butcher\r\nshop samples comparatively showed the highest prevalence (15.5%), especially in beef\r\n(19.1%), goat (14.3%), and sheep (13.3%), as compared to the slaughterhouses (11.8%) and\r\nretail markets (9.7%). Differences among meat types and sources were not statistically\r\nsignificant (p = 0.394 and p = 0.362). Overall, selective media comparison revealed that\r\nMCA showed a relatively high recovery rate (6.6%), followed by EYE (3.4%) and BHA\r\n(2.4%). A seasonal trend was observed, with peak prevalence in April (20%). These findings\r\nsuggest that raw meat may represent a potential source of exposure to H. pylori, although its\r\nrole in transmission to humans remains to be fully clarified. Regular monitoring, improved\r\nhygiene practices, and stricter control of environmental contamination are recommended\r\nto reduce associated public health risks.\r\n

Author
Dhary Alewy Almashhadany

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020379

ISSN
SSN: 2076-2607

Publish Date: 5-Feb-2026