title: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in a cohort of Italian military students.
abstract: In 1990, to study regional prevalences and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in healthy young adult males, sera were collected from a nationwide sample of 1659 males (mean age 20.7 years) at introduction into the Air Force School for military students in Caserta, Italy. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect H. pylori specific immunoglobulin G antibodies. The observed overall seropositivity rate was 17.5% (95% CI 15.7-19.4). Prevalence was higher in southern Italy and in the Italian islands as compared with northern Italy and central Italy (21.3% vs. 9.5%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that residence in southern areas and islands was the strongest predictor of the likelihood of H. pylori seropositivity; number of siblings in the household was marginally associated; years of father's schooling was not a significant predictor. H. pylori positive subjects were more likely positive for antibodies to hepatitis A virus infection (anti-HAV) than those H. pylori negative (35.4% vs. 24.9%; Odds Ratio 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.2). Adjustment for the confounding effect of sociodemographic variables weakened this association (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7). These findings suggest that differences in environmental conditions rather than in socioeconomic status may have played the major role in the different spread of H. pylori infection across the country.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratorio di Epidemiologia e Biostatistica, Roma.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosmini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fortini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Amelio
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Matricardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students
chemical_list: D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies