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Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori: the Indian scenario
H H Gill1, H G Desai, P Majmudar
1Department of Gastroenterology, BYL Nair Charitable Hosptial, Bombay.
Objective:
To compare the age-related prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in populations from developing and developed nations to determine the possible mode of transmission.
Methods:
Endoscopic gastric biopsies (for biopsy urease test and histology) were obtained in 526 patients with dyspepsia and in 82 control subjects to determine H pylori prevalence.
Results:
H pylori prevalence in patients with dyspepsia and in control subjects was 65% and 46% respectively. Age-related prevalence in these two groups in the age groups 10-19 years, 20-29 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years and > or = 50 years was 52%, 70%, 69%, 60% and 59%, and 44%, 55% 58%, 36% and 33% respectively.
Conclusion:
Exposure to H pylori occurs early in India and is widespread, even in control subjects. The high prevalence of the organism in young Indian control subjects and the comparable prevalence of antibodies to H pylori and hepatitis A virus infection in different age groups both in developed and developing nations may suggest a feco-oral mode of transmission.