Seroepidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in a Jamaican community

• Published in: Tropical medicine & international health 1999-12, Vol.4 (12), p.862-866
• Main Authors: Lindo, J. F., Lyn‐Sue, A. E., Palmer, C. J., Lee, M. G., Vogel, P., Robinson, R. D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Animals; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen; Biological and medical sciences; Cats; Child; Child, Preschool; children; community; Dogs; domestic animals; epidemiology; Female; Helicobacter Infections - epidemiology; Helicobacter pylori; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; hygiene; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Jamaica; Jamaica - epidemiology; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Sanitation; Seroepidemiologic Studies; seroprevalence; Suburban Population; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 1360-2276; 1365-3156
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.1999.00480.x

Summary We researched epidemiologic associations between environmental and demographic factors and prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in a suburban Jamaican community. Using a clustered sampling technique, 22 domestic yards enclosing 60 separate households were randomly selected from a local community. All household members (n = 346) were invited to participate following informed consent; the overall compliance rate was 58.9%. A commercial enzyme immunoassay (HMáCAP) was used to detect IgG antibodies raised against H. pylori. Environmental and demographic information was obtained by questionnaire. The seroprevalence of H. pylori was 69.9% (n = 202). Analysis of the independent variables revealed three major components: Component 1 described, collectively, good personal hygiene and sanitation, indoor water supply and absence of straying animals in the peridomestic area; Component 2 included older age, good personal hygiene and large yard size; Component 3 the presence of domestic animals (cats and dogs) and, again, large yard size. These three complexes explained 42.2% of the variability in the data set. Logistic regression showed that Components 2 and 3 were independently associated with H. pylori seropositivity, indicating that a combination of demographic, environmental and zoonotic factors is involved in the spread of H. pylori infections at the tropical community level.