Helicobacter pylori infection in children living in tropical areas. Endoscopic and histological aspects.

Aims. - To assess the endoscopic and histological aspects of Helicobacter p ylori (H. pylori) infection in children in a prospective study. Patients and methods. - One hundred and four children (6 months-15 years ol d), with digestive symptoms admitted to the Pediatric Department of the Nat ional Hospital of Ouagadougou between February 1(st) and October 31 1996 un derwent upper digestive endoscopy with fundic and antral biopsies for histo logical and bacteriological analysis. Results. - Endoscopy was normal in 80 cases (77 %). No lesion was specific of H. pylori infection. Nodular gastritis was observed in 3 % of the cases only. Duodenal ulcers were seen in 3 children (3 %). 83 % of the children h ad chronic antral gastritis, associated with H. pylori in 95 % of the cases . The lesions were follicular gastritis (45 %), mild atrophic gastritis (38 .5 %) and lymphocytic gastritis (1 %). Follicular gastritis It as more pron ounced in the antrum than in the fundus. Conclusion. - The high prevalence of early H. pylori infection and chronic gastritis in children contrasts with the rarity of gastric cancer in black Africa, Protective factors or peculiar strains should be searched for.