MIGRATION AND HELICOBACTER-PYLORI SEROPREVALENCE - BANGLADESHI MIGRANTS IN THE UK

Helicobacter pylori, an infectious agent of worldwide public health im portance, has higher seroprevalence in developing countries than in de veloped countries. We investigated whether Bangladeshi women, born in Bangladesh, have a greater H. pylori seroprevalence than Bangladeshi w omen born in the U.K. and, in addition, whether there is an associatio n between H. pylori seropositivity and age of migration to the U.K amo ngst Bangladeshi women. Women attending antenatal clinics at the Royal London Hospital were screened using ELISA for anti-H. pylori IgG. In Bangladeshi individuals born in the U.K. 13/16 (81%, 95% confidence in terval (CI) 54%-96%) and in Bangladeshi individuals born in Bangladesh 91/137 (66%, 95% CI 59%-74%) had antibodies to H. pylori. No signific ant association was found Between H. pylori seropositivity and country of birth, or age at migration to the U.K. Public health strategies co ncerning H. pylori should consider migrant populations with high serop revalence of H. pylori.