SEROEPIZOOTIOLOGY OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI GASTRIC INFECTION IN NONHUMAN-PRIMATES HOUSED IN SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS

We determined the seroepizootiology of Helicobacter pylori infection i n rhesus monkeys. Plasma was obtained from 196 animals (age range, 1 t o 22 years) that were housed in social environments, either in indoor gang cages, in outdoor corrals, or in free-ranging forested conditions . Plasma immunoglobulin G levels were determined with a specific enzym e-linked immunosorbent assay, and the cutoff immunoglobulin G value fo r H. pylori seropositivity was determined from a study of 25 monkeys w hose infection status was assessed by light microscopy and culture. On e-year-old animals of both genders in all housing conditions had the l owest rate of positivity (60% in monkeys 1 year old versus 81% in monk eys 2 to 10 years old, P = 0.026). In addition, females tended to have higher rates of positivity than males. Seroconversion during a 1-year observation period occurred in 7 (28%) of 25 seronegative animals, Se roreversion occurred in 3 (4%) of the 78 positive animals; all 3 of th ese animals had received antimicrobial agents during the year, These o bservations demonstrate that the epizootiology of H. pylori infection in rhesus monkeys may serve as a model for human infection.