Peptic ulcer disease in tropical Africa

Diseases of the stomach, including gastric ulceration, are uncommon in Africa. In spite of this, duodenal ulcer--contrary to the reports a couple of decades ago--is common all over the tropics; there is limited evidence that it is more common in urban areas and that its incidence is increasing further. However, one should borne in mind that accurate incidence rates for diseases which are not immediately fatal, are extremely difficult to obtain in most of the third-world countries.