Prevalence and Some Epidemiological Features of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Baghdad Medical City Hospitals

Abstract

The present study was conducted during the period from 10th march 2017 until 30th June 2017.This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients suffering from gastrointestinal disturbance. Two hundred and fifty blood and stool specimens were collected from patients attending Baghdad Teaching Hospital with the main clinical feature (abdominal pain, nausea and bloating) who had been examined and diagnosed by specialist physicians as suspected acute gastritis. Patients ages ranged from 15–65 years. Serum antibody and fecal antigen have been used to detect the occurrence of H. pylori infection in these patients. Our results showed that there were 250 cases [132 males (52.8%) and 118 females (47.2%)] suspected as acute gastritis cases. The overall infection rate was 39.2% (98 positive samples out of 250). The highest percentage rate of gastritis was in the age group (40-49 years) and significant differences have been found between the age groups (P< 0.05). In contrast, no significant differences have been observed between the two genders. Among the recorded clinical symptoms abdominal pain was the highest (38.4%), followed by loss of appetite (23.6%), nausea (14%), diarrhea

(11.6%), bloating (10%) and vomiting (2.4%).