[Helicobacter pylori infection: prospective study for asymptomatic Tunisian children].
The aim of this study was to specify epidemiologic particularities of Helicobacter pylori infection among asymptomatic Tunisian children.


METHODS
A sample of 191 Tunisian healthy children studied for a two-month-period of time in protection center for mothers and children in a Tunis area. The children had benefited of an oriented questionnaire and a serological study of Helicobacter pylori.


RESULTS
The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was 30.4% (58 of 191). This prevalence increased with age (21% < 5 years vs 69% > 6 years: p < 0.04). The low socio-economic level and the familial antecedents of peptic illness constitute the main risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection (p < 0.05). Both ways of transmission: oro-oral and fecal-oral seem to coexist among children.
Maherzi
A
A
Service de pédiatrie, hôpital Mongi-Slim, La Marsa, Tunisie. ahmed.mehrzi@rns.tn <ahmed.mehrzi@rns.tn>
Bouaziz Abed
A
A
Fendri
C
C
Oubich
F
F
Koubaa
C
C
Fauchere
J L
JL
Bousnina
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology