title: Seroepidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in vegans and meat-eaters.
abstract: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been used to diagnose serologically the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Asian life-long vegans. There was no difference in the seropositivity between these individuals and a group of age- and sex-matched Asian meat-eaters, indicating the meat consumption is not a risk factor for H. pylori infection. However, both Asian groups had a higher prevalence of infection than age- and sex-matched Caucasian meat-eaters. Additionally, the Asian individuals had a wider range of specific IgG antibody concentrations than the Caucasians. This did not appear to be due to antigenic cross-reactivity between H. pylori and Campylobacter jejuni. The significance of these observations to the establishment of cut-off levels for the serodiagnosis of certain ethnic groups is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Webberley
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Webberley
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Newell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Melikian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008460:Meat; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G