Those working in dental or medical settings may be putting themselves at risk of being infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a stomach germ that can cause serious complications if left untreated. The review was published in BMC Infectious Diseases.
The findings highlight a need for standardized guidelines aimed at reducing healthcare workers' exposure to H. pylori, the authors wrote.
“Although the overall prevalence among healthcare professionals does not consistently exceed that of the general population, a significant proportion of the included case‒control studies reported higher infection rates in medical and dental personnel than in their respective control groups,” wrote the authors, led by Danial Saleh of the Kerman University of Medical Sciences' Faculty of Dentistry in Iran (BMC Infect Dis, May 29, 2026).
Worldwide, H. pylori infection is considered one of the most prevalent infectious diseases, affecting about half the global population. This infection is the primary cause of ulcers and chronic gastritis and can cause grave digestive problems if left untreated.
H. pylori can live in dental plaque and saliva, and some research has shown that patients can orally transmit it via close contact with healthcare professionals. With the continued rise of antimicrobial resistance, it is critical to identify individuals who have a greater risk of contracting the infection and curbing possible transmission routes, according to the study.
To explore the occupational risk of H. pylori infection among physicians and dentists, a systematic review was conducted using 28 studies. Of those, 21 included doctors, and seven were related to dentists.
The review revealed that the occurrence of H. pylori infection ranged from about 7% to 77% in the medical group and about 17% to 70% in the dental group. In 13 of the studies from the medical group and three from the dental group, the H. pylori infection rate was reported to be greater in healthcare workers than in the control group, the authors wrote.
Nonetheless, the study had limitations, including that several of the cross-sectional studies did not account for confounding factors like hygiene practices and socioeconomic status, they wrote.
Due to the heterogeneity of study designs and a lack of high-quality prospective investigations, specifically among dental professionals, cohort studies should be conducted to better understand the true magnitude and mechanisms of H. pylori occupational transmission among dentists and doctors, the authors wrote.
“This systematic review suggests that working in medical or dental environments may represent an occupational risk factor for H. pylori infection,” Saleh and colleagues wrote.
