Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is now recognized as causative agent of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer, and strongly associated with development of gastric carcinoma. With development of sensitive and specific serologic tests to identify individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori, the epidemiologic study of this diseases has been investigated. But it's transmission route is not established, yet. The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in healthy children and young adults and to evaluate related factors for Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea. The seroprevalence of Ig G antibodies to Helicobacter pylori was determined using a Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay and we obtained the information, such as demographic characteristics, monthly household income, numbers of family members in the house, numbers of persons using same room, type of house, and type of drinking water through the questionnaire survey. The observed overall seropositivity rate was 25.7%. The rate is increased progressively from 5.8% in the age group 1~3 years to 44.4% in the age group 20~29 years(chi-square for trend, p<0.001). Especially, the rate increased steeply from 6.5% in the age group 4~6 years to 20.8% in the age group 7~9 years, and this suggested that elementary school age was the major acquisition time of Helicobacter pylori infection. In multivariate logistic regression model, age, numbers of family members in the house, and type of house was statistically significant variables for Helicobacter pylori infection. Each odds ratio(95% CI) were as follows; base to age group 1~9 years, age group 10~19 years 3.6(2.0~6.4), age group 20~29 years 7.3(4.1~13.1) and base to group of 1~3 family members, groups of 4~5 family members 2.1(1.1~4.0), group of 6 or more family members 2.7(1.3~5.4) and base to apartment, single and multihouse 1.9(1.1~3.5). Sex, monthly household income, numbers of persons using same room, and type of drinking water was not statistically significant for Helicobacter pylori infection.

• Keywords: Helicobacter pyloriSeroprevalencerelated factors