The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in western Romania

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori (HP) infection in a representative group of workers in Timiş County.

Our study population consisted of 960 employees: 206 F (21.46%) and 754 M (78.54%), mean age 36.8+/-7.6 years (range 18-60 years) from a company in Timişoara, in whom we assessed IgG anti HP antibodies. We standardised our study population for the age and gender distribution of the population in Timiş County and we excluded under 18 and over 60 years age groups which were underrepresented.

Antibodies were found in 691 individuals (71.9%). In females, the prevalence of HP infection was 63.1% (130/206) and in males 74.4% (561/754). In the age group 18-30 years - 65.3%, males-67%, females-56.8% (p=0.240); in group 31 - 40 years - 71.6%, males-74.4%, females-63.5% (p=0.025); in group 41 - 50 years - 75%, males - 78%, females-62.5% (p=0.026); and in group 51 - 60 years - 88.7 %, males-87.2 %, females - 100% (p=0.35). After standardisation for age and gender, the prevalence of HP infection in the adult population was 68.5%; in females - 63.8 %, in males - 73.5% (p=0.08).

In a population sample significant for Timiş County, the prevalence of HP infection is 68.5% in the adult population, slightly higher in males than in females (74.4% vs 63.1) (p=0.08), and it has a tendency to increase with ag