title: Prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection in children, a population-based cross-sectional study in west iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In developing countries, Helicobacter pylori infection is mainly acquired during childhood and may be a predisposing factor for peptic ulcer or gastric cancer later in life. Noninvasive diagnostic tools are particularly useful in children for screening tests and epidemiological studies. We aimed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection among Kurdish children in Sanandaj, West Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a Helicobacter Pylori Stool Antigen (HpSA) test to detect H. pylori infection. A questionnaire was used to collect data about age, sex, duration of breastfeeding, and family size. A total of 458 children aged 4 months to 15 years were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of enrolled children was 5.6±5.4 years. Stool samples were positive for H. pylori in 294 (64.2%) children. The prevalence of H. pylori infection increased with age (P<0.001). We found a significant increase in the infection rate as the family size grew (P=0.005). There was no correlation between a positive H. pylori status and gender (P=0.6) or the duration of breastfeeding (P=0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that the prevalence of H. pylori infection is very high in children in Sanandaj. It begins at early infancy (before 4th month of age) and cumulatively increases with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Soltani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jafar
authors.forename: Amirzadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jalil
authors.forename: Nahedi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Soheila
authors.forename: Shahsavari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirous
keywords: Children; Helicobacter Pylori; Iran; Prevalence
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