title: Increasing prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection with age: continuous risk of infection in adults rather than cohort effect.
abstract: It remains unclear whether acquisition of Helicobacter pylori is due to a continuous risk of acquiring the infection or a cohort effect. In this prospective 3-year cohort study, the seroprevalence, conversion, and reversion of H. pylori infection as determined by IgG antibodies was examined. The cohort consisted of 316 randomly selected, nonpatient subjects aged 18-72 years who each provided at least 2 suitable samples. Seroprevalence of H. pylori increased from 21% in the third decade to 50% in the eighth decade. Crude annual seroconversion rate was 1% and the "spontaneous" seroreversion rate was 1.6%. Age was the only identified risk factor for H. pylori infection. A continuous risk of acquisition of 1%/year rather than a cohort effect best explains the pattern of H. pylori infection in this Canadian population. Seroconversion continues in adult life, and spontaneous reversions do occur, especially in the later decades.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Veldhuyzen van Zanten
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Bezanson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marrie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009674:Nova Scotia; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial