Helicobacter pylori infection in dentists--a case-control study.
To test the null hypothesis that frequent and multiple salivary exposure is not a risk factor for developing H. pylori infection, serum anti-H. pylori IgG from 179 dentists and dental students and 179 age-, sex- and socioeconomic-matched controls were assayed using an ELISA. Seroprevalence in dentists was 16% (11/70); clinical dental students 6% (3/47); and pre-clinical dental students 10% (6/62). There were no differences in H. pylori seropositivity between cases and controls. There was an increase in H. pylori seropositivity with age (chi (trend)2 9.04, p = 0.003). These data provide evidence that adults are not at high risk of developing H. pylori infection as a result of exposures to saliva from multiple sources.
Banatvala
N
N
Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, London Hospital Medical College, UK.
Abdi
Y
Y
Clements
L
L
Herbert
A M
AM
Davies
J
J
Bagg
J
J
Shepherd
J P
JP
Feldman
R A
RA
Hardie
J M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries; D003815:Dentists; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013335:Students, Dental; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G