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Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in a longitudinal study of New Zealanders at ages 11 and 21
Author(s) -
Fawcett J. P.,
Shaw J. P.,
Brooke M.,
Walker A.,
Barbezat G. O.
Publication year - 1998
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.1445-5994.1998.tb00652.x
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , medicine , serology , demography , helicobacter pylori , longitudinal study , socioeconomic status , antibody , immunology , population , environmental health , pathology , sociology
Background: Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence increases with age in adult life but spontaneous reversion may occur in childhood and adolescence. Aims: To determine the seroprevalence of H. pylori in a longitudinal study of New Zealanders at ages 11 and 21. Methods: Serum from members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS) at age 11 ( n =561; 303 males, 258 females) and 21 ( n =785; 413 males, 372 females) was tested for H. pylori antibodies. A large proportion of those tested at age 11 was retested at age 21 ( n =465; 262 males, 203 females). Serological status was examined in terms of gender, socioeconomic status (SES) and self‐reported use of antibiotics. Results: The seroprevalence of H. pylori decreased by 38% from 6.6% (37/561) at age 11 to 4.1% (32/785) at age 21. Seroprevalence at age 11 was not associated with gender or SES. For those tested at both ages, the drop in seroprevalence from 6.7% to 4.1% was statistically significant ( t =2.57, ρ<0.01, paired t ‐test) and was much greater in females (71%) than males (12%). Of the 31 seropositive individuals at age 11, 17 (six males, 11 females) seroreverted and self‐reported antibiotic use in the year preceeding age 21 was more common in females (eight/11) than males (zero/six). Of die 434 seronegative individuals at age 11, only five (four males, one female) had seroconverted at age 21. Conclusions: Seroprevalence in the DMHDS declined from age 11 to 21 predominantly in females. The decline involved a greater rate of seroreversion and lower rate of seroconversion in females than males.