HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN AN INSTITUTION FOR DISABLED-CHILDREN IN HONG-KONG

Anti-Helicobacterpylori antibodies were determined in 157 institutiona lised Cantonese children, mean age 9.5 +/- 3.9 (SD) years, with profou nd neurodevelopmental disabilities. Eighty-seven (55.4%) were H.pylori seropositive compared with four of 50 (8%, P>0.0002) of an age-matche d control group, mean age 7.2 +/- 4.3 (SD) years. Eight of 15 seroposi tive children with a recent history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding underwent endoscopy and in all cases gastric infection with H.pylori was confirmed. Anthropometric data from institutionalised children rev ealed marked malnutrition but showed no significant difference between seropositive and seronegative children. Disabled children receiving l ong-term residential care in Hong Kong are confirmed to be at increase d risk of H.pylori infection.