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Suggestion Against an Oral-Oral Route of Transmission for Helicobacter pylori Infection (A Seroepidemiological Study in a Rural Area)

Digestive Diseases and Sciences volume 43, pages 1488–1492 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

In this study the seroepidemiology of H. pyloriand Epstein-Barr virus was compared in the same setting.A sample of 705 subjects completed a structuredquestionnaire. A serum sample was drawn from each subject and assayed for H. pylori IgG.Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus were determined in asubgroup of 466 subjects. Cross-tabulation of datashowed that 274 (58.8%) subjects were seropositive and20 (4.3%) were seronegative for both infections,17 (3.6%) were seropositive for H. pylori, and 155(33.3%) were seropositive for Epstein-Barr virus (oddsratio = 2.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.008-4.3).Nevertheless, the agreement between H. pylori andEpstein-Barr virus seropositivity was no better thanchance (kappa = 0.067) and the age-relatedseroprevalence curve of Epstein-Barr virus was similar in H. pylori seropositive and seronegativesubjects. Furthermore, multiple logistic regressionanalysis did not show any risk factor shared by bothinfections. The findings of this study do not support the hypothesis that H. pylori and Epstein-Barrvirus share a common mode of transmission. It can bespeculated that the oral cavity may not be an importantreservoir for H. pylori.

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Authors
  1. F. Luzza
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  2. M. Imeneo
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  3. M. Maletta
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  4. G. Paluccio
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  5. S. Nistico
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  6. F. Perticone
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  7. A. Foca
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  8. F. Pallone
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Luzza, F., Imeneo, M., Maletta, M. et al. Suggestion Against an Oral-Oral Route of Transmission for Helicobacter pylori Infection (A Seroepidemiological Study in a Rural Area). Dig Dis Sci 43, 1488–1492 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018802528986

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  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018802528986

  • HELICOBACTER PYLORI
  • EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS
  • SEROLOGY
  • EPIDEMIOLOGY
  • ORAL-ORAL TRANSMISSION