DETERMINATION OF IGG ANTIBODIES AGAINST HELICOBACTOR PYLORI IN ADULT DYSPEPTIC PATIENTS AND BLOOD-DONORS FROM JOS, NIGERIA

We have assayed Helicobacter pylorispecific immunoglobulin G in the se rum of 114 dyspeptic subjects, 49 males and 65 females (ages 20 - 80 y ears) who reported for endoscopy at the Jos University Teaching Hospit al, Nigeria and from 66 male donors and 12 male clinical students who had no symptoms of dyspepsia. Helicobacter pylori antibody titres were determined by a second generation ELISA. The prevalence of H. pylori in each case (94.0% for the symptomatic and 84.6% for the asymptomatic subjects was high and comparable. The mean titre for the total number of symptomatic subjects (73 U/ml) was significantly higher than that of the asymptomatic individuals (45 U/ml) (P < 0.05). There were no si gnificant relationships between immunoglobulin G titres and age, gende r or disease status. (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.