Helicobacter pylori colonization in the first 3 years of life in Japanese children.
BACKGROUND
Acquisition of Helicobacter pylori infection occurs in early childhood, but the exact time of the acquisition and dynamics of infection are not clear. The aim of this study was to estimate the time of acquisition of H. pylori colonization in infants.


METHODS
This prospective follow-up study included 237 infants born in Wakayama Rosai Hospital from February, 2001 to April, 2002. Stool samples were collected at indicated ages, and H. pylori antigens were determined by a stool antigen test, HpSA.


RESULTS
One-hundred and eight infants among initially enrolled 237 children have been followed up until 24 months. Among these, 16 infants turned to be HpSA positive within 12 months, but only four remained positive by the consecutive tests with optical density values of more than 0.7. They were assumed persistent positives. The rest 12 infants reverted to be negative by the consecutive tests and were assumed transient or false-positives. The optical density values of HpSA in the transient cases were exclusively less than 0.35.


CONCLUSIONS
The consecutive follow up of HpSA, but not the one-point test, might be useful to diagnose persistent colonization of H. pylori in young infants, and some infants seemed to acquire H. pylori infection in the first year of life. These results should be taken into account for prevention and treatment strategies for H. pylori infection in infants.
Department of Pediatrics, Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization, Wakayama Rosai Hospital, Koya 435, Wakayama 640-8505, Japan. okuda@naxnet.or.jp
Masumi
M
Okuda
Eikichi
E
Miyashiro
Mina
M
Booka
Tomomi
T
Tsuji
Teruko
T
Nakazawa
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D044466:Asian People; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial