title: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and its recurrence after successful eradication in a developing nation (Morocco).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In developed countries, reinfection after successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori appears unusual. High prevalences of H. pylori in developing countries may result in high reinfection rates. In Morocco, published studies regarding the prevalence of H. pylori are limited, and to our knowledge, there are no data regarding the reinfection rate of H. pylori after successful treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in our area, and the reinfection rate at 6 months and 1 year of follow-up after successful eradication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with investigated ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia were prospectively enrolled in the Hassan II University Hospital of Fez. Patients with H. pylori infection were treated with a 1-week triple therapy or 10 day sequential therapy. Those tested urea breath test negative after 3 months of treatment were followed prospectively with repeated urea breath test at 6 months and 1 year. H. pylori status at endoscopic examination was determined by rapid urease test, histology, and culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred and twenty-nine patients were enrolled in the study, among them 324 patients (75.5%) presented with H. pylori infection. Two hundred and fifty-six (83.3%) patients had successfully eradicated H. pylori following treatment, among them, two patients (0.8%) were reinfected with H. pylori over 12 months. The rate of reinfection was 0.42% in the first 6 months and of 0.45% in the first year of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study demonstrate that firstly, prevalence of H. pylori is high (75.5%) in our area, secondly as in developed countries, there is a low (0.8%) but continuous risk of H. pylori infection in adulthood. A different approach for follow-up after H. pylori eradication is probably needed in patients of developing countries, since reinfection prevalence is different between countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Hassan II University Hospital, Fez, Morocco. Electronic address: dafrb@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Dafr Allah
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Benajah
authors.forename: Mounia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lahbabi
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alaoui
authors.forename: Karima
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: El Rhazi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Abkari
authors.forename: Chakib
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nejjari
authors.forename: Afaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amarti
authors.forename: Bahia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bennani
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Sidi Adil
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ibrahimi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003906:Developing Countries; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004522:Educational Status; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D059012:Lost to Follow-Up; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D014508:Urea / Q000378:metabolism; D014510:Urease / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole