title: [Frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection in 144 school age Chilean children].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A 73% prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection was estimated in adults in the 2003 Chilean National Health Survey. However, this infection is usually acquired during childhood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of H. pylori infection in healthy Chilean children from a school in Santiago.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study in a private/ subsidized school in Santiago. Children aged less than 18 years were invited to participate. The parents of those who accepted answered a demographic survey and a stool sample was obtained from participants to detect H. pylori antigen using a monoclonal antibody ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 144 students aged 10.6 ± 3.1 years (54% females). Twenty six participants (18.1%, 95% CI: 12.4-24.9%) had a positive test. Children from higher socioeconomic levels had a non-significant lower frequency of infection. No differences in the frequency of infection were observed by age, gender, household type or number of people living in it or history of breastfeeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of children, an 18.1% frequency of H. pylori infection was observed.
authors: Francisca
authors: F
authors: Jaime
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Villagrán
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Serrano
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Cerda
authors: Paul R
authors: PR
authors: Harris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D017149:Private Sector / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires