PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN NEONATES AND YOUNG INFANTS UNDERGOING ERCP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF NEONATAL CHOLESTASIS

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in 20 neonates and young infants from lower socioeco nomic background undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogr aphy (ERCP) examination for diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis. One you ng asymptomatic infant (5%) who was breast-feeding with complementary formula had H. pylori infection. Endoscopy showed a normal appearing m ucosa and histology demonstrated mild superficial acute gastritis. A f ollow-up gastroscopy performed 14 months after the initial study showe d normal histology without evidence of H. pylori, suggesting that the infection was transient. Nineteen (95%) of the 20 mothers had H. pylor i infection, including the mother with the infant positive for H. pylo ri. All mothers had gastritis on biopsy specimens. Despite the high pr evalence of H. pylori in the mothers, infection in neonates and young infants was uncommon.