Objective: In developing countries,
Helicobacter pylori
infection is mainly acquired during childhood and may
be a predisposing factor for peptic ulcer or gastric cancer later in life. Noninvasive diagnostic tools are
particularly useful in children for screening tests and epidemiological studies. We aimed to determine the
prevalence of
H. pylori infection among Kurdish children in Sanandaj, West Iran.
Methods: We used a Helicobacter Pylori Stool Antigen (HpSA) test to detect
H. pylori infection. A
questionnaire was used to collect data about age, sex, duration of breastfeeding, and family size. A total of 458
children aged 4 months to 15 years were enrolled in this study.
Findings: The mean age of enrolled children was 5.6±5.4 years. Stool samples were positive for
H. pylori in
294 (64.2%) children. The prevalence of
H. pylori infection increased with age (P<0.001). We found a
significant increase in the infection rate as the family size grew (P=0.005). There was no correlation between
a positive
H. pylori status and gender (P=0.6) or the duration of breastfeeding (P=0.8).
Conclusion: It seems that the prevalence of
H. pylori infection is very high in children in Sanandaj. It begins at
early infancy (before 4th month of age) and cumulatively increases with age.
