Association between herpes simplex virus type 1 and Helicobacter pylori in US adolescents

To understand how Helicobacter pylori infection is acquired and the role that herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) may have, we determined whether an association between HSV and H pylori exists at the individual level and for what reason.

Data were collected from 1,090 participants aged 12-19 years during phase 1 (1988-1991) of the NHANES III. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR).

The crude overall PR and 95% CI for H pylori seropositivity comparing HSV+ to HSV- individuals was 2.20 (1.69-2.85). In large urban households the PR adjusted for poverty level and race/ethnicity was twice that in small nonurban households (2.27 versus 1.15, respectively).

Overall, HSV-1 seropositivity is associated with a higher H pylori seroprevalence. The negligible association found in some strata suggests that shared environmental factors or routes of transmission rather than biologic reasons may be primarily responsible for this association.