PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN ENDOSCOPY AND NON-ENDOSCOPY PERSONNEL - RESULTS OF FIELD SURVEY WITH SEROLOGY AND C-14 UREA BREATH TEST

Objectives: The aims of the study were, first, to determine the preval ence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) among endoscopy personnel and a group of non-endoscopy volunteers and, second, to evaluate the usefulness o f two noninvasive tests of diagnosis: serology and the urea breath tes t, Methods: The two noninvasive methods of HP diagnosis, serology and C-14-urea breath test (UBT), were used in a cross-sectional survey of endoscopists, nurse;assistants, and non-endoscopy personnel, Results: One hundred and thirty-five volunteers were recruited for the study, I n 116, results of the two tests were in agreement (kappa = 0.645), Fur ther analysis was based on the results of the UBT, Endoscopy personnel (endoscopists and nurse-assistants) as a group had a significantly hi gher incidence of HP than did controls (32.9% vs, 11.3%; p = 0.004), T he two groups were comparable with regard to mean age, sex, ethnic dis tribution, and social class, Conclusions: HP infection is more prevale nt among endoscopy personnel, Both diagnostic tests (serology and UBT) were convenient and relatively simple to perform, and results gave a high level of agreement.