EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY OF THE PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN THE GENERAL-POPULATION IN ASTURIAS, SPAIN

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a worldwide infection, and if is es timated that approximately 50% of the general population is affected, However, its distribution varies considerably between developed and de veloping countries. Aims: in the present study we report the results o f an epidemiological investigation of the prevalence of H. pylori infe ction in the general population in Asturias (Northern Spain), in order to describe the current state of this infection in our region, and ob tain figures for comparison with the results obtained in different com munities of Spain and other countries. Experimental design: a descript ive transversal, epidemiological study, based on the serological deter mination of the IgG antibodies against H. pylori was carried out in th e general population of a randomly selected sample of subjects without previous gastroduodenal antecedents. Participants: we analyzed 480 se rum samples obtained from the general population of Asturias, These we re divided into decades according to the age pyramid and tested for th e presence of antibodies against H. pylori with a commercially availab le latex agglutination technique (Pyloriset). Results: the global prev alence of H. pylori infection in our study was 226/480 (49.2%), and wa s slightly higher in women (50.6%) compared to men (47.6%). No signifi cant differences were found between sexes (p = 0.51), In the first dec ade mean prevalence was 13.6%. In the second this figure was 25.4%, an d it increased steadily to a maximum in the sixth decade of 76.4%, The reafter, the prevalence decreased to 66.6% in persons over 80 years of age. Conclusions: we found a high prevalence approximately 50% of H. pylori infection in the general population of Asturias, as in other ep odemiological studies in Spain and other European countries, The distr ibution according to age shows a clear tendency to increase, from chil dhood to adolescence and adult life (50-60 years), when prevalence is highest (76%). From this decade onwards it begins to decrease, showing a clear cohort effect with a pattern intermediate between that of dev eloped and developing countries.