title: The prevalence of helicobacter pylori among dyspeptic patients in an earthquake-stricken area.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped, urease-producing bacterium with multiple unipolar flagella. Humans are a major reservoir for H. pylori; however, there are no data on the prevalence of H. pylori among dyspeptic patients who have experienced natural disasters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of H. pylori in dyspeptic patients who survived a recent natural disaster and to compare the data between the pre-disaster and post-disaster periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 2011 and February 2012 (∼ one month following an earthquake), 209 dyspeptic patients who underwent gastroscopy were included in the study. For microorganism identification, gastric biopsy materials from the 209 disaster survivors with dyspeptic complaints were tested for urease activity in a medium containing urea and a pH indicator. The obtained results were compared with pre-disaster data from dyspeptic patients in the same city during the corresponding period of the previous year. Furthermore, the current H. pylori prevalence was evaluated among 139 dyspeptic patients between January 2014 and May 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori in disaster survivors with dyspepsia compared with dyspeptic patients in the pre-disaster period (p<0.005). Interestingly, the current H. pylori prevalence was found to be significantly higher than the prevalence in both the disaster and pre-disaster periods (p<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that a recent earthquake could contribute to the development of H. pylori infection in subjects who live in the disaster-stricken area. These data also highlight the exceptionally high H. pylori prevalence in dyspeptic patients. Regional variations require further analyses.
authors: Gastroenterology Department, Medical School, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors: Burak
authors: B
authors: Suvak
authors: Gastroenterology Department, Medical School, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors: Ahmet Cumhur
authors: AC
authors: Dulger
authors: Kecioren Family Medicine Center, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ozlem
authors: O
authors: Suvak
authors: Internal Medicine Department, Medical School, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors: Enver
authors: E
authors: Aytemiz
authors: Department of General Surgery, Medical School, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors: Ozgur
authors: O
authors: Kemik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D064891:Disaster Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology*; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult