Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori among 1-69 years old Ardabil population in 2018: A high incidence province for gastric cancer

Background and Objective: Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infects approximately half of the world's population. Once H. Pylori colonize the stomach, it persists for a lifetime. It is a major risk factor for gastrointestinal diseases especially gastric cancer. Ardabil province, in northwestern Iran, has the highest rate of gastric cancer in Iran. H. Pylori infection rate as the main risk factor of gastric cancer varies by region. This study, as part of an international study, was designed to determine the prevalence of H. Pylori infection in the population. Methods: The study population included a population-based sample of 700 individuals equally stratified by gender and 10-year age groups. Subjects were randomly selected from the Ardabil population aged 1 to 69 years. Participants were asked to answer an extensive risk factor questionnaire and to provide blood and stool sample. Results: A total number of 700 subjects were recruited with the average age of 34.4 ±19.7 years, of whom 351 (50.1%) were male and 349 (49.9%) female. Approximately half (50.1%) of subjects infected by H. Pylori with a similar rate in both genders. H. pylori infection rate was positively associated with age, smoking and BMI (P