Prevalence of H elicobacter pylori infection with healthy subjects in J apan

Background and Aim Only few large‐scale epidemiological studies have examined the prevalence of H elicobacter pylori ( H . pylori ) infection in J apan. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence of H . pylori infection in J apan in terms of gender, age and region. Methods Serum anti‐ H . pylori antibody testing was included in workers' annual health checks conducted by T ‐company's health insurance association in 2008. The testing was continued for the next 5 years in 35‐year‐old subjects. Results The total number of subjects was 21 144 (18 398 males and 2746 females). Stratified for age, there were 5016 subjects (male : female = 4219:797) in their 30s, 8748 (7770:978) in their 40s, 5589 (4807:782) in their 50s, and 1769 (1584:185) in their 60s. The H . pylori seropositive rate (male : female) was 27.5% (27.5:27.7) overall, 18.0% (18.3:16.1) in subjects in their 30s, 22.9% (22.7:24.7) in those in their 40s, 37.4% (37.2:38.2) in those in their 50s, and 46.1% (45.7:49.2) in those in their 60s. The prevalence of H . pylori seropositivity increased as age increased; however, no significant differences were seen between genders or among regions (χ 2 test). The numbers of 35‐year‐old subjects from 2008 to 2012 were 1072, 1107, 941, 1065, and 940, respectively. The corresponding H . pylori seropositive rates were 17.4, 17.4, 14.3, 13.3, and 14.0%, respectively. Conclusion The J apanese H . pylori infection rate had already declined to 27.5% in 2008, with subjects in the 35–70 age range. The prevalence of H . pylori infection is also decreasing gradually from 2008 to 2012.