SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN TAIWAN
Resource
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE v.61 n.4 pp.554-558
Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
Journal Volume
v.61
Journal Issue
n.4
Pages
554-558
Date Issued
1999
Date
1999
Author(s)
Lin, D B
Changlai, S P
Nieh, W T
Chen, C J
Ho, M S
Wang, H M
You, S L
Hsiao, M W
Ling, U P
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori is associated with chronic antral
gastritis that is related to duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer,
and probably gastric adenocarcinoma. Infection with H.
pylori during childhood is considered an important risk
factor for gastric carcinoma in adult life. To examine the
epidemiologic characteristics of H. pylori infection among
preschool children in central Taiwan, a community-based
survey was carried out in 54 kindergartens in 10 urban
townships, 10 metropolitan precincts, and 2 aboriginal
townships randomly selected through stratified sampling.
Serum specimens of 2,551 healthy preschool children (3-6
years old) randomly sampled from study kindergartens were
screened for antibodies to H. pylori by latex agglutination
and ELISA methods. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs)
with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by
multiple logistic regression analysis. A total of 207
subjects were antibody-positive, giving a prevalence of 8.1%
The overall seropositive rates were 4.5% in 3-year-old
group, 4.4% in 4-year-old group, 9.4% in 5-year-old group,
and 11.7% in 6-year-old group. The older the age, the higher
the seroprevalence (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.5-6.8 for 3-year-
old children versus the 6-year-old children). Seroprevalence
was not different between boys and girls. The aboriginal
townships had a seroprevalence greater than the urban
townships and metropolitan precincts (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.9
-3.7). The larger the number of siblings, the higher the
seroprevalence (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.0-5.8 for those with no
sibling versus those with greater than or equal to 3
siblings). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the
seroprevalence of H. pylori remained significantly
increased with age, aboriginal township, and large sibship
size after multivariate adjustment. A poor water supply
system, sewage disposal, and other environmental hygiene in
the aboriginal townships might have played some role in
infection with H. pylori. The early childhood transmission
among siblings might also be an important determinant of H.
pylori seropositivity in Taiwan.
Subjects
CAMPYLOBACTER-PYLORI
SOCIOECONOMIC-STATUS
ANTIBODY-RESPONSE
GASTRIC-CANCER
SEROPREVALENCE
EPIDEMIOLOGY
SDGs
Type
journal article