Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection among Iranian children

Background and study aims: Infection with Helicobacter pylori (HP) either in children or in adults is a risk factor for gastric cancer. The Golestan province located in northeast Iran has been known to be a high-risk area for oesophageal and gastric cancers. This study was conducted to assess the epidemiology of this infection in the children of Golestan. Patients and methods: This study was carried out in 2009 on healthy children (1-15. years) of the Golestan province. Serum immunoglobulin G (Ig G) antibody against HP was tested in these children and positive samples were tested for anti-cytotoxin-associated antigen A (anti-CagA) antibody. To assess the relationship between HP infection and the risk of gastric cancer, the Golestan province was divided into high- and low-risk areas based on the incidence rate of gastric cancer. The chi-squared test was used to assess the relationship between variables. Results: Totally, 194 subjects were recruited. The prevalence of HP infection in our area was 50.5%. The prevalence of HP infection was significantly higher in the high-risk than in the low-risk area for stomach cancer (p=0.004). The seropositivities of HP (p=0.03) and CagA (p=0.04) were significantly lower in children