[Helicobacter pylori infections in children]

In our patient population with chronic aspecific abdominal complaints Helicobacter pylori gastritis is no rarity. This entity has been diagnosed in 10 children out of 48 (mean age: 8 years 11 months) who underwent an endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract. After treatment with amoxicillin and colloidal bismuth subcitrate during a period of 2 weeks the complaints disappeared and an eradication was obtained in 7. Histology of the antral mucosa demonstrated a type B chronic active gastritis in all patients. A Helicobacter pylori specific serology was positive in all 10 patients. This test was also positive in 17 out of 35 asymptomatic first degree family members; this is an illustration for the high family prevalence of Helicobacter pylori.