Marching cohort of Helicobacter pylori infection over two decades (1988-2007): combined effects of secular trend and population migration.
The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing in developed countries. In this study we included 22,612 patients in whom a first culture of gastric biopsy (routinely performed in our medical centres) yielded an interpretable result over a 20-year period (1988-2007) in Brussels. The effects of patients' age, gender and ethnic background were analysed. The overall proportion of H. pylori-infected patients was 37·7%, with a progressive decline over time (P<10(-5)). A gender effect was observed in adults. The lowest infection rate was observed in Western European patients (n=11,238) with respectively 36·2% and 15·2% infected subjects in 1988 and 2007, compared to 71·7% and 40% in North African patients (n=3200) (P<10(-5)). However, no trend of decline was observed over time in North African children aged ≤9 years. These data show the effects of time, age and ethnicity on the prevalence of H. pylori infection, and its complex heterogeneity in the same cosmopolitan urban area.
Miendje Deyi
V Y
VY
Clinical Biology Department, Section of Microbiology, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. yvette.miendje@chu-brugmann.be
Vanderpas
J
J
Bontems
P
P
Van den Borre
C
C
De Koster
E
E
Cadranel
S
S
Burette
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult