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Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in different ethnic groups in New Zealand children and adults
Author(s) -
Fraser A. G.,
Scragg R.,
Metcalf P.,
McCullough S.,
Yeates N. J.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1996.tb02934.x
Subject(s) - medicine , helicobacter pylori , ethnic group , seroprevalence , demography , incidence (geometry) , cross sectional study , risk factor , peptic ulcer , gastroenterology , serology , immunology , antibody , pathology , physics , sociology , anthropology , optics
Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a major risk factor for peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. A study of patients with dyspepsia attending for gastroscopy showed significant differences in H.pylori seropositivity between ethnic groups. Aims: To determine the prevalence of H.pylori in children and adults in the community in different ethnic groups and to identify risk factors for infection. Methods: Serum samples (324) were randomly selected from a cross‐sectional survey of 11–12 year old school children with a high proportion of Maori and Pacific Island groups. Serum samples (579) were randomly selected from a cross‐sectional workforce survey of 5677 participants aged 40–64 years. Serum samples were tested for H.pylori IgG. Results: The percentage seropositivity in 11–12 year old children was European 7%, Maori/part Maori 21%, all Pacific Island groups 48% and for the workforce survey 35.8%, 57.4% and 73.2% respectively. Compared with Europeans the increased relative risk of seropositivity for H.pylori in Maori and Pacific Island participants was significant after adjusting for age and socio‐economic status (1.43 [1.13, 1.80] and 1.76 [1.43, 2.18]) respectively. The relative risk of H.pylori infection significantly increased with age, lower socio‐economic status and lower household income, but was not significantly associated with gender, alcohol or cigarette use. Conclusions: The high seroprevalence of H.pylori in Maori and Pacific Island groups is consistent with the differences in incidence of gastric cancer. H.pylori continues to be a common infection in Maori and Pacific Island school children. Ethnicity appears to be a risk factor for H.pylori independent of socio‐economic status.