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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 139, No. 5: 513-519
Copyright © 1994 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infections in a Cohort of US Army Recruits

Bonnie L. Smoak1,, Patrick W. Kelley1 and David N. Taylor2

1Department of Advanced Preventive Medicine Studies, Division of Preventive Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Washington, DC
2Department of Enteric Infections, Division of Communicable Diseases and Immunology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Washington, DC

Reprint requests to Dr. Bonnie L. Smoak, Division of Preventive Medicine, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307–5100.

To study the prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infectionin healthy young adults, sera were collected from a nationwide sample of 404 females and 534 males (mean age, 20.2; range, 17–26 years) at induction into the US Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, during the fall of 1990. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PYLORI STAT, BioWhittaker, Inc., Walkersville, MD) was used to detect H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies. Demographic data were obtained from a personnel database and by linking US census information to the subject's home address. The observed crude seropositivity rate was 26.3% (95% confidence interval 23.2–28.9). The direct sex-, race-, and geographic region-adjusted seropositivity rate was 20.8% (95% confidence interval 17.9–23.7). Seropositivity rates for blacks, Hispanics, and whites were 44%, 38%, and 14%, respectively, (X2, P < 0.001), and rates increased progressively from 24% in the age group 17–18 years to 43% in the age group 24–26 years (X2 for trend, P < 0.001). The age trends remained strong after controlling for race Median income was also an important predictive variable for seropositivity (X2, P < 0.0001). Sex, the percent urbanization, and population density of the home county were not significant predictors of seropositivity when age and race-ethnic group were controlled in a statistical model. The sharp increase in seroprevalence in this narrow age range suggests that the incidence rates are higher in young adults than previously reported.

Helicobacter pylori; risk factors


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