Helicobacter pylori reinfection rate 3 years after successful eradication.
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is one of the most prevalent human infections and has been implicated as a predisposing factor in gastric cancer, chronic active gastritis, duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer and gastric lymphoma. Reinfection after successful eradication is quite uncommon in adults. In the only study carried out in Iran, a reinfection rate of 19.1% after 1 year has been reported. We studied the rate of reinfection 3 years after successful HP eradication.


METHODS
All patients who had undergone HP eradication 3 years before the study and had successful eradication verified by a negative (14)C urea breath test (UBT) 1 year after eradication were invited to complete a questionnaire and undergo another UBT. In addition, spouses and the offspring of those testing positive were offered an UBT.


RESULTS
Ninety-eight patients were enrolled (49% male). Mean age was 44 +/- 13 years (range: 18-75 years). Twenty patients (20.4%) had a positive UBT. Epigastric burning (25%vs 69%) and pyrosis (50%vs 67%) were seen less commonly in those who were HP free at 3 years compared to those who tested positive for HP.


CONCLUSIONS
According to our data, in our region the HP reinfection rate is 20.4% 3 years after successful eradication.
Zendehdel
Nasrin
N
Digestive Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
Nasseri-Moghaddam
Siavosh
S
Malekzadeh
Reza
R
Massarrat
Sadegh
S
Sotoudeh
Masoud
M
Siavoshi
Farideh
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D014508:Urea; C002791:bismuth tripotassium dicitrate