Is Helicobacter Pylori an endogenous source of diethyl phthalate in humans?

Monoethyl phthalate (MEP) is a metabolite used to assess exposure to diethyl phthalate (DEP). Helicobacter Pylori (HP) has been shown to produce DEP in laboratory studies. We used NHANES 1999–2000 data for 1623 adults to investigate whether HP seropositivity was associated with MEP levels. MEP levels were higher in individuals with HP seropositivity (p=0.0237), however the association differed by race. These results suggest that HP may be an endogenous source of DEP in some populations.