Epidemiology and Infection

Table of Contents - April 2011 - Volume 139, Issue 04  

Gastrointestinal infection and helicobacter

Marching cohort of Helicobacter pylori infection over two decades (1988–2007): combined effects of secular trend and population migration

V. Y. MIENDJE DEYIa1 c1, J. VANDERPASa2a3, P. BONTEMSa4, C. VAN DEN BORREa1, E. De KOSTERa5, S. CADRANELa4 and A. BURETTEa6

a1 Clinical Biology Department, Section of Microbiology, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

a2 Epidemiology and Infection Control Unit, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

a3 Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Brussels, Belgium

a4 Gastroenterology Department, Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

a5 Gastroenterology Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium

a6 Gastroenterology Department, Centre Hospitalier Interrégional Edith Cavell, sites de la Basilique et E. Cavell, Brussels, Belgium

SUMMARY

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection is decreasing in developed countries. In this study we included 22 612 patients in whom a first culture of gastric biopsy (routinely performed in our medical centres) yielded an interpretable result over a 20-year period (1988–2007) in Brussels. The effects of patients' age, gender and ethnic background were analysed. The overall proportion of H. pylori-infected patients was 37·7%, with a progressive decline over time (P<10−5). A gender effect was observed in adults. The lowest infection rate was observed in Western European patients (n=11 238) with respectively 36·2% and 15·2% infected subjects in 1988 and 2007, compared to 71·7% and 40% in North African patients (n=3200) (P<10−5). However, no trend of decline was observed over time in North African children aged ≤9 years. These data show the effects of time, age and ethnicity on the prevalence of H. pylori infection, and its complex heterogeneity in the same cosmopolitan urban area.

(Accepted April 22 2010)

(Online publication June 07 2010)

Key Words:

Correspondence:

c1 Author for correspondence: Mrs V. Y. Miendje Deyi, Department of Clinical Biology, Section of Microbiology, Brugmann University Hospital, 4 Place A. Van Gehuchten, 1020 Brussels, Belgium. (Email: yvette.miendje@chu-brugmann.be)

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