Helicobacter pylori seropositivity among 963 Japanese Brazilians accordingto sex, age, generation, and lifestyle factors

Seropositivity of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody (HP+) was examined amon g Japanese Brazilians. The study was announced through 18 Japanese communit y culture associations in Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Mogi das Cruzes. and Mirando polis in 2001. Among 969 participants, 963 individuals aged 33-69 years wer e analyzed. The overall HP+% was 48.1% (95% confidence interval, 44.9-51.3% ). There was no difference in HP+% between 399 males and 564 females (49.6% and 47.0%, respectively). The HP+% increased with age; 35.3% for those age d 33-39 years, 46.2% for those aged 40-49 years. 46.5% for those aged 50-59 years, and 56.9% for those aged 60-69 years, but no differences were obser ved among the generations (Issei, Nisei, and Sansei) for each 10-year age g roup. Mogi das Cruzes, a rural area, showed a higher HP+%. Length of educat ion was inversely associated with the positivity; the odds ratio (OR) relat ive to those with eight years or less of schooling was 0.61 (0.42-0.89) for those with 12 years or more. The associations with smoking and alcohol dri nking were not significant. Fruit intake was associated with the HP+%; the OR relative to everyday intake was 1.38 (1.05-1.83) for less frequent intak e, while intake frequencies of green tea. miso soup, and pickled vegetables (tsukemono) were not. Multivariate analysis including sex, 10-year age gro up, residence, education, and fruit intake showed that all factors except s ex were significant. This is the largest study of HP infection among Japane se Brazilians. and the results indicated a similar pattern of age-specific infection rate to that for Japanese in Japan.