title: Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korean Health Personnel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to evaluate whether doctors and nurses in a single hospital were at an increased risk of acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection in 2011 and to identify risk factors for H. pylori seroprevalence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nurses (n=362), doctors (n=110), health personnel without patient contact (medical control, n=179), and nonhospital controls (n=359) responded to a questionnaire during a health check-up, which included questions on socioeconomic status, education level, working years, and occupation in 2011. The prevalence of H. pylori was measured by serology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The seroprevalence rate was 29.8% (nurses), 34.5% (doctors), 30.7% (medical control), and 52.9% (nonhospital control). Among younger subjects (<40 years of age), the nonhospital control had a higher seropositivity rate (48.1%) than nurses (29.2%), doctors (29.8%), and the medical control (24.8%), which was not observable in subjects ≥40 years of age. The risk factors for H. pylori seroprevalence were not different for health and nonhealth personnel. A multivariate analysis indicated that seropositivity significantly increased with age, the province of residence, and a gastroscopic finding of a peptic ulcer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The medical occupation was not associated with H. pylori infection. The seroprevalence of H. pylori in one hospital in 2011 was found to be 38.7%, most likely due to the improvement in socioeconomic status and hospital hygiene policy in Korea.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
authors: Hyun Young
authors: HY
authors: Kim
authors: Nayoung
authors: N
authors: Kim
authors: Seon Mie
authors: SM
authors: Kim
authors: Ji-Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Seo
authors: Eun-Ha
authors: EH
authors: Park
authors: Dong Ho
authors: DH
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D016272:Occupational Health; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010595:Pharmacists; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Health personnel; Helicobacter pylori; Prevalence; Serology