Natural history of Helicobacter pylori infection in childhood: 12-year follow-up cohort study in a biracial community

We assessed the pattern of acquisition and loss of Helicobacter pylori infe ction in a cohort of 212 children from a biracial community with a homogene ous socioeconomic class. The children were followed over 12 years (1973-197 4 to 1985-1986) from childhood to young adulthood. H. pylori status was ass essed by the presence of serum IgG antibodies to H, pylori, At ages 7-9, 19 8 of children had H. pylori infection (40% of blacks vs. 11% of whites; P = .0001); 12 years later, 33% were seropositive. The higher prevalence among blacks remained (P = .0001). During follow-up, 228 of children became infe cted; the rate of acquisition was fourfold greater among blacks than among whites (P = .001). Over the 12-year period, infection was lost in 50% of wh ites compared with 4% of blacks who either remained infected or became rein fected. H. pylori infection in childhood is affected by both acquisition an d loss of infection in different ethnic groups. This observation is critica l for understanding the epidemiology and transmission of H. pylori infectio n.