Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental risk factors affecting transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection in Egypt

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection varies remarkably between and within populations suggesting the role of socioeconomic-related environmental factors.

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori among the studied population, to explore the effect of some environmental risk factors and lifestyle on the transmission of infection, and to study the association between this H. pylori bacterium and various noncontagious diseases.

Method

This cross-sectional study was conducted over 6 months in two Egyptian health clinics. Two hundred apparently healthy individuals from rural (Unshass) and urban (Nasr City) areas voluntarily participated in this study. A full detailed clinical assessment in the form of a questionnaire was designed for each individual to determine risk factors with specific emphasis on age, sex, and residence. The seroprevalence of H. pylori IgG antibodies was evaluated using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

In the urban group 28 subjects (28%) were H. pylori positive versus 54 subjects (54%) in the rural group. A significant relationship between H. pylori and poor sanitary conditions was detected; there was an association between H. pylori prevalence and gastric diseases, hepatic diseases, and hyperglycemia suggesting diabetes.

Conclusion

H. pylori infection was nearly twice as high in the rural group than in the urban one.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alempijević T, Krstić M, Antonić V, Krstić S (2007) Frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with liver cirrhosis (in Serbian). Srp Arh Celok Lek 135(9–10):536–540

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Almadi MA, Aljebreen AM, Tounesi FA, Abdo AA (2007) Helicobacter pylori prevalence among medical students in a high endemic area. Saudi Med J 28:896–898

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Amital H, Govoni M, Maya R, Meroni PL, Ori B, Shoenfeld Y, Tincani A, Trotta F, Sarzi-Puttini P, Atzeni F (2008) Role of infectious agents in systemic rheumatic diseases. Clin Exp Rheumatol 26(1 Suppl 48):S27–S32

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bener A, Micallef R, Afifi M, Derbala M, Al-Mulla HM, Usmani MA (2007) Association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and Helicobacter pylori infection. Turk J Gastroenterol 18(4):225–229

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bhuiyan TR, Qadri F, Saha A, Svennerholm AM (2009) Infection by Helicobacter pylori in Bangladeshi children from birth to two years: relation to blood group, nutritional status, and seasonality. Pediatr Infect Dis J 28(2):79–85

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce MG, Maaroos HI (2008) Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter 13(Suppl 1):1–6 Review

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng H, Hu F, Zhang L, Yang G, Ma J, Hu J, Wang W, Gao W, Dong X (2009) Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and identification of risk factors in rural and urban Beijing, China. Helicobacter 14(2):128–133

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Czinn SJ (2005) Helicobacter pylori infection: detection, investigation, and management. J Pediatr 146(3 Suppl):S21–S26

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Do MY, Lee YC, Choi CH, Kim SJ, Mun CS, Moon HJ, Lee HW, Oh HC, Kim HJ, Kim JW, Do JH, Kim JG, Chang SK (2009) The changes in prevalence and the related factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korean health check-up subjects during 8 years (in Korean). Korean J Gastroenterol 53(2):76–83

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ghil HM, Yoo JH, Jung WS, Chung TH, Youn HY, Hwang CY (2009) Survey of Helicobacter infection in domestic and feral cats in Korea. J Vet Sci 10(1):67–72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gisbert JP, Moreno-Otero R, Pajares JM (2002) Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic liver disease and relationship with its complications: systematic review and meta-analysis (in Spanish). Med Clin (Barc) 119(12):464–474

    Google Scholar 

  • Grübel P, Hoffman JS, Chong FK, Burstein NA, Mepani C, Cave DR (1997) Vector potential of houseflies (Musca domestica) for Helicobacter pylori. J Clin Microbiol 35(6):1300–1303

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gulcelik NE, Kaya E, Demirbas B, Culha C, Koc G, Ozkaya M, Cakal E, Serter R, Aral Y (2005) Helicobacter pylori prevalence in diabetic patients and its relationship with dyspepsia and autonomic neuropathy. J Endocrinol Invest 28(3):214–217

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito LS, Oba-Shinjo SM, Marie SK, Uno M, Shinjo SK, Hamajima N, Tajima K, Tominaga S (2003) Lifestyle factors associated with atrophic gastritis among Helicobacter pylori-seropositive Japanese-Brazilians in São Paulo. Int J Clin Oncol 8(6):362–368

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito K, Yamaoka Y, Ota H, El-Zimaity H, Graham DY (2008) Adherence, internalization, and persistence of Helicobacter pylori in hepatocytes. Dig Dis Sci 53(9):2541–2549

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanbay M, Gür G, Arslan H, Yilmaz U, Boyacioglu S (2005) The relationship of ABO blood group, age, gender, smoking and Helicobacter pylori infection. Dig Dis Sci 50(7):1214–1217

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kandulski A, Selgrad M, Malfertheiner P (2008) Helicobacter pylori infection: a clinical overview. Dig Liver Dis 40(8):619–626

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kusters JG, van Vliet AH, Kuipers EJ (2006) Pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Clin Microbiol Rev 19(3):449–490

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lutsey PL, Pankow JS, Bertoni AG, Szklo M, Folsom AR (2009) Serological evidence of infections and type 2 diabetes: the MultiEthnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Diabet Med 26(2):149–152

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marakoğlu K, Eke AA, Civi S (2008) Smoking as an important factor increasing risk of Helicobacter pylori. Turk J Gastroenterol 19(2):133–134

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moayyedi P, Axon AT, Feltbower R et al (2002) Relation of adult lifestyle and socioeconomic factors to the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. Int J Epidemiol 31(3):624–631

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Osato MS, Ayub K, Le HH, Reddy R, Graham DY (1998) Houseflies are an unlikely reservoir or vector for Helicobacter pylori. J Clin Microbiol 36(9):2786–2788

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raymond J, Thiberge JM, Kalach N, Bergeret M, Dupont C, Labigne A, Dauga C (2008) Using macro-arrays to study routes of infection of Helicobacter pylori in three families. PLoS One 3(5):e2259

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salem OE, Youssri AH, Mohammad ON (1993) The prevalence of H. pylori antibodies in asymptomatic young egyptian persons. J Egypt Public Health Assoc 68(3–4):333–352

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santacroce L, Miragliotta G, Bhutani MS (2005) Helicobacter pylori infection. http://www.emedicine.com/MED/topic962.htm. Accessed 21 Jan 2009

  • Santos IS, Boccio J, Davidsson L, Hernandez-Triana M, Huanca-Sardinas E, Janjetic M, Moya-Camarena SY, Paez-Valery MC, Ruiz-Alvarez V, Valencia ME, Valle NC, Vargas-Pinto G, Solano L, Thomas J (2009) Helicobacter pylori is not associated with anaemia in Latin America: results from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela. Public Health Nutr 12:1862–1870

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sari YS, Can D, Tunali V, Sahin O, Koc O, Bender O (2008) H pylori: treatment for the patient only or the whole family? World J Gastroenterol 14(8):1244–1247

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sasidharan S, Uyub AM (2009) Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among asymptomatic healthy blood donors in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 103(4):395–398

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sayed ASM, Abd Al-Azeem MW, Noaman HA, Hassan MA (2007) Seroepidemiological study on Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adults in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. JASMR 2(2):129–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Sedlácková M, Malaty H, Volf V, Frühauf P, Marx D, Soucek A, Graham DY (2003) Helicobacter pylori infection in a group of symptomatic and asymptomatic children and adolescents in the Czech Republic (in Czech). Cas Lek Cesk 142(2):102–105

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seyda T, Derya C, Füsun A, Meliha K (2007) The relationship of Helicobacter pylori positivity with age, sex, and ABO/Rhesus blood groups in patients with gastrointestinal complaints in Turkey. Helicobacter 12(3):244–250

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Siai K, Ghozzi M, Ezzine H, Medjahed N, Azzouz MM (2008) Prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in Tunisian children: 1055 children in Cap-Bon (northeastern Tunisia). Gastroenterol Clin Biol 32(11):881–886

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stettin D, Waldmann A, Wolters M, Trunz B, Schauder P, Hahn A (2007) Infection with Helicobacter pylori—outcome of a cross-sectional investigation (in German). Dtsch Med Wochenschr 132(50):2677–2682

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sugiyama T, Yoshioka M, Furuta Y, Miyasaka K (2004) What is Helicobacter pylori?: associated diseases in human (in Japanese). Hokkaido Igaku Zasshi 79(2):111–115

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vcev A, Nakić D, Mrden A, Mirat J, Balen S, Ruzić A, Persić V, Soldo I, Matijević M, Barbić J, Matijević V, Bozić D, Radanović B (2007) Helicobacter pylori infection and coronary artery disease. Coll Antropol 31(3):757–760

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yucel T, Aygin D, Sen S, Yucel O (2008) The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and related factors among university students in Turkey. Jpn J Infect Dis 61(3):179–183

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Studies and Research, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Hala Ibrahim Awdalla & Moustfa Hassan Ragab

  2. Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo, Egypt

    Lilian Nabil Hanna

  3. Medical Science Department, Institute of Environmental Studies and Research, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt, 11566

    Hala Ibrahim Awdalla

Authors
  1. Hala Ibrahim Awdalla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Moustfa Hassan Ragab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lilian Nabil Hanna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hala Ibrahim Awdalla.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Awdalla, H.I., Ragab, M.H. & Hanna, L.N. Environmental risk factors affecting transmission of Helicobacter pylori infection in Egypt. J Public Health 18, 237–244 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-009-0309-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-009-0309-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation