Prevalence Rate and Transmission Route of H. pylori

Kim, Nayoung

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a common bacterial infection for humans. Current knowledge implies that acquisition of H. pylori seems to occur predominantly in childhood and that a major role of intrafamilial spread is not controversial. However, the major route of transmission remains poorly understood. According to the nation-wide seroprevalence study for 5,732 asymptomatic Korean population in 1998, the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 46.6%, showing the transition from a developing country to a developed country. The seroprevalence in children (neonate-15 yr) and adult (16-79 yrs) were 17.2% and 66.9%, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, variables such as sex, age, geographic area, crowding (number of person per room) in childhood, economic status in childhood, and types of housing in childhood were significantly and independently associated with H. pylori seroprevalence of adults. In children, age, geographic area, household income, mother's education, and drinking water source were significant factors of H. pylori infection. The seroprevalence survey in 2005 showed that it decreased to 59.6% from 66.9% in the adult (16-79 yrs) over the period of 7 years, especially, in young subjects less than 50 years, Seoul and Gyeonggi suggesting that this decrease may be due to the improvement of socioeconomic status and hygiene.