Natural history of Helicobacter pylori infection in childhood: eight-year follow-up cohort study in an urban community in northeast of Brazil.
BACKGROUND
Helicobacter pylori infection is acquired predominantly in childhood. There is also evidence that children loss the infection. Therefore, factors that account for children remain infected need to be investigated because once established the infection persists throughout the life unless treated.


METHODS
This study aimed to evaluate the H. pylori infection in children of a low-income community at baseline and 8years later to determine the predictor factors linked to the maintenance, acquisition, and loss of the infection using regression models of generalized estimating equations. H. pylori status was determined by (13) C-urea breath test.


RESULTS
Data from 37.7% (133/353) of the children were available. No difference between the characteristics of the included and nonincluded children was observed. The prevalence of infection increased from 53.4 to 64.7%. Thirty-nine children (29.3%) remained noninfected, 47.4% remained infected, 17.3% became infected, and 6.0% lost the infection. Factors associated with to remain infected compared with to remain noninfected included the age, increased number of children in the household, and the use of well water instead of municipal water. The acquisition of the infection was associated with the male gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors linked to remain and to gain H. pylori infection in a poor region were increased number of children in the household and the male gender. Also, the acquisition rates were higher than the loss rates, which lead to an increase in the infection prevalence with age.
Laboratory of Bacteriology Research, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Dulciene M
DM
Queiroz
Jessica G
JG
Carneiro
Manuel B
MB
Braga-Neto
Andrea B C
AB
Fialho
Andre M
AM
Fialho
Maria H B
MH
Goncalves
Gifone A
GA
Rocha
Andreia M C
AM
Rocha
Lucia L B
LL
Braga
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors