Low incidence of clinically significant gastroduodenal pathology despite a high incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection.
Gastric Helicobacter pylori infection is common throughout the tropics yet does not always correlate with the incidence of serious upper gastrointestinal pathology. In a consecutive series of 213 patients examined by gastroscopy for dyspepsia in northern Nigeria, 176 (92%) of 193 with acceptable biopsies had gastritis. Only 16 (8%) had a histologically normal gastric mucosa. H. pylori was present in 161 of 192 patients (84%); 31/41 (75%) with chronic gastritis and 130/135 (96%) with active gastritis. Serious pathology, ulcer and gastric cancer were present in only 29 (14%).
Holcombe
C
C
Department of Surgery, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Umar
H
H
Lucas
S B
SB
Kaluba
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004382:Duodenitis / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications