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The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori positivity in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children
U Blecker1, K Keymolen, S Lanciers
1Department of Pediatrics, Hôpital Universitaire Saint Pierre, Brussels, Belgium.
Insights
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children showed no Helicobacter pylori infection. This contrasts with the control group, where 19.2% had H. pylori antibodies, indicating a significant difference.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Immunology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Helicobacter pylori infection is common globally.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can impact immune responses to various pathogens.
- The prevalence of H. pylori in HIV-infected children, particularly in Central Africa, is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in pediatric patients with HIV.
- To compare H. pylori seropositivity rates between HIV-infected children and an age- and ethnicity-matched asymptomatic control group.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 23 HIV-infected children from Central Africa was studied.
- Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to H. pylori.
- Blood samples were collected during routine medical care and compared to an asymptomatic control group (n=52).
Main Results:
- None of the HIV-infected children (0%) had detectable IgG antibodies to H. pylori.
- In the control group, 10 out of 52 participants (19.2%) tested positive for H. pylori IgG antibodies.
- The difference in H. pylori seroprevalence between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.01).
Conclusions:
- HIV-infected pediatric patients in this Central African cohort appear to have a significantly lower prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection compared to their asymptomatic peers.
- Further research is warranted to understand the mechanisms behind this observed difference and its clinical implications.
Abstract:
To investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in pediatric patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, we sought to detect the presence of antibodies against this organism in 23 human immunodeficiency virus-infected children of central African ethnic origin by means of a second-generation enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) test for the detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (Malakit Helicobacter pylori, Biolab, Limal, Belgium). They were compared to an asymptomatic control population matched for age and ethnic origin. Blood samples were taken during routine blood analysis before the monthly administration of intravenous gamma-globulins in the human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients and during preoperative blood analysis in the control population. Despite the fact that most human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients had IgG antibodies against other frequently encountered pathogens, none of them had a positive serology for Helicobacter pylori, compared to 10 of 52 patients (19.2%) in the control population. This difference is statistically significant (p = 0.01).