Family-based Helicobacter pylori infection status and transmission pattern in central China, and its clinical implications for related disease prevention

Abstract

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) has characteristics of family cluster infection; however, its family-based infection status, related factors, and transmission pattern in central China, a high-risk area for H. pylori infection and gastric cancer, have not been evaluated. We investigated family-based H. pylori infection in healthy households to understand its infection status, related factors, and patterns of transmission for related disease prevention. AIM To investigate family-based H. pylori infection status, related factors, and patterns of transmission in healthy households for related disease prevention. METHODS Blood samples and survey questionnaires were collected from 282 families including 772 individuals. The recruited families were from 10 selected communities in the greater Zhengzhou area with different living standards, and the family members’ general data, H. pylori infection status, related factors, and transmission pattern were analyzed. H. pylori infection was confirmed primarily by serum H. pylori antibody arrays; if patients previously underwent H. pylori eradication therapy, an additional 13 C-urea breath test was performed to obtain their current infection status. Serum gastrin and pepsinogens (PGs) were also analyzed. RESULTS Among the 772 individuals examined, H. pylori infection rate was 54.27%. These infected individuals were from 246 families, accounting for 87.23% of all 282 families examined, and 34.55% of these families were infected by the same strains. In 27.24% of infected families, all members were infected, and 68.66% of them were infected with type I strains. Among the 244 families that included both husband and wife, spouse co-infection rate was 34.84%, and in only 17.21% of these spouses, none were infected. The infection rate increased with duration of marriage, but annual household income, history of smoking, history of alcohol consumption, dining location, presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and family history of gastric disease or GC did not affect infection rates; however, individuals who had a higher education level showed lower infection rates. The levels of gastrin-17, PGI, and PGII were significantly higher, and PGI/II ratio was significantly lower in H. pylori -infected groups than in H. pylori -negative groups. CONCLUSION In our study sample from the general public of central China, H. pylori infection rate was 54.27%, but in 87.23% of healthy households, there was at least 1 H. pylori -infected person; in 27.24% of these infected fami...

Large-scale, national, family-based epidemiological study onHelicobacter pyloriinfection in China: the time to change practice for related disease prevention

“… 30 One 2022 family-based H. pylori infection survey on 282 families (772 individuals) also reported that the household infection rate was 87.23% in central China. 31 The current work is in line with these studies and provides important evidence indicating that the clustering of infections within the same family was due to increased infection, not simply by chance. It also highlights the importance of implementing family-based H. pylori infection control and management in clinical practice.…”

Lifestyle-based nomogram for identifying the Chaoshan inhabitants of China at high risk of Helicobacter pylori infection

“…We found that the risk of HP infection increased with a family history of gastric disease. This finding is contrary to previous studies, which have suggested that a family history of gastric disease does not affect the infection rate [ 46 ]. This difference in findings may have arisen, as we excluded patients with gastric symptoms.…”

A survey on the current status of Helicobacter pylori infection in households in Hainan Province

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