title: Seroepidemiological study of Helicobacter pylori infection in infancy.
abstract: The incidence of Helicobacter pylori infection in very young children was determined, based on the emergence of specific IgG antibodies in sequential serum samples from birth to 2 years of age. The risk of acquiring H pylori infection in infancy as a result of maternal exposure to the organism was also assessed, based on the determination of maternal cord-blood antibodies. Serum IgG class H pylori antibodies were analysed in the cord blood samples of 195 newborns and in their follow up samples until the age of 2 years. Maternal antibodies were detected in the cord-blood samples of 21 children (10.6%). These antibodies disappeared in all but one child before 7 months of age and no new seroconversions occurred in these children. Ten originally cord-blood negative children seroconverted up to the age of 2 years (5.1%). It is concluded that a major proportion of H pylori infections observed in young adults in Finland are acquired during the first two years of life. Maternal seropositivity is not a straightforward risk factor for acquiring H pylori infection in infancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashorn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miettinen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruuska
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laippala
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäki
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G