HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION - PREVALENCE AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE IN A LARGE COMPANY

Although gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses account for considerable sick absenteeism, there have been few workplace studies of GI disorders. W e determined the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection by se?ser ology and assessed its relation to upper GI tract complaints, personal ulcer history, and family history of stomach cancer in 6,143 employee s (mean age, 40.4 years) at BASF's main chemical production facilities in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Employees were recruited during occupationa l health clinic visits (n = 4,488) and through broad communications ef forts (n = 1,655). Participation among clinic attendees was 66%, and t his recruitment method was particularly effective in reaching shift em ployees. Positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) serology (38.2%), ulcers (4.9 %), nonulcer dyspepsia (20.4 %), and a family history of stomach canc er (6.1%) were common occurrences in this work setting: Further diagno stic evaluation and eradication therapy was recommended for 795 employ ees (12.9%), based on a combination of positive serology and either up per GI tract complaints or family stomach cancer history, and has been completed for 541 employees. A weak but consistent association was se en between positive serology and cigarette smoking, and shift work was found to be associated with positive serology, but not with ulcer or nonulcer dyspepsia occurrence.