1Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection
Section snippets
Geographical distribution of the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection
The prevalence of H. pylori infection varies from country to country with large differences between developed and developing countries1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (Figure 1). The epidemiology of H. pylori infection in developing countries, such as India, Saudi Arabia or Vietnam, is characterised by a rapid rate of acquisition of the infection such that approximately 80% of the population is infected by the age of 20,1, 2, 6 because the disease is most often acquired in childhood7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or when young
Changing prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection
In the US infection is low among white and economically advantaged Americans. However, minority populations have a higher frequency of infection: US data indicate that black children aged 5 to 9 years have an overall infection frequency of 30%. Around the world, infection among children ranges from approximately 35% in Russia to 20% in China and Poland, 12% in Korea and America to <10% in France, Belgium and Finland.2, 8, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26 Despite high rates of infection in certain pockets of
Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and associated diseases
Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, primary gastric B-cell lymphoma and (indirectly) gastric adenocarcinoma.35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 All patients with infection develop gastric damage.41 Approximately 17% of infected patients develop peptic ulcer, and one quarter of such patients experience an ulcer complication.37 Numerous trials have shown that ulcer relapse is prevented following cure of the infection.42 Histologic and serologic studies have also shown
Changes in the environment and human behavior that influence the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection
It is now apparent that the decrease in age-adjusted prevalence of H. pylori infection in industrialised countries is related both to improved living conditions during childhood and to loss of infection. Although H. pylori infection is usually a chronic and life-long infection, spontaneous elimination of the infection was reported as early as 1992 using serologic tests50 and was confirmed using breath tests51 and by histology52 from both developed and underdeveloped countries. These
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