title: Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus and Helicobacter pylori infections in the general population of a developed European country (the San Marino study): evidence for similar pattern of spread.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of faecal-oral transmission in the spread of Helicobacter pylori.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional comparison of the patterns of hepatitis A and H. pylori seropositivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  At interview, blood samples and questionnaire data were collected from a random sample of 1528 healthy subjects aged 20-85 years from the Republic of San Marino. Serum samples from each subject were then tested for anti-H. pylori and anti-hepatitis A antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 529 of 670 H. pylori-seropositive subjects (78.9%) and 460 of 858 H. pylori-seronegative subjects (53.6%) were hepatitis A seropositive (P<0.01; odds ratio=3.2; confidence interval 95%=2.6-4.1). This association remained after adjustment by a multiple logistic regression analysis for the confounding effect of age and length of schooling, as surrogate for socio-economic status (OR=2.0; CI 95%=1.3-3.3). The age-specific prevalence curves for H. pylori and hepatitis A infections showed a parallel increase by age, although to a lesser extent for H. pylori.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide evidence that in the community studied H. pylori may have spread in a manner similar to that of hepatitis A.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, Policlinico S. Orsola, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pretolani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rapicetta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonvicini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mègraud
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ghironzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sampogna
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Villano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cecchetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giulianelli
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armuzzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miglio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasbarrini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012496:San Marino
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral