Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in children dependently on age and living conditions

• Published in: Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 203 - 207
• Main Authors: Czkwianianc, E, Bak-Romaniszyn, L, Małecka-Panas, E, Suski, S, Woch, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland 01.03.1996
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Helicobacter - isolation & purification; Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology; Helicobacter Infections - etiology; Humans; Infant; Male; Poland - epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Poland
• ISSN: 0867-5910

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in children in Lódź (Poland). The study was a serological survey of IgG antibodies to H. pylori in randomly chosen 240 children aged 6 months to 17 years. The serum was tested by ELISA technique (Porton-Cambridge, England) and by immunoenzymatic test (Quidel, USA). Some aspects of the family environment were studied. We found 15% infected children under 2 years, 16.6% infected children aged 3-5 years, 28.3% aged 6-10 years and 41.6% aged 11-17 years. We observed much higher prevalence of H. pylori infection in children from poor living conditions and in children from families with seropositive adults.