Increased Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Antibodies Among Nurses

Abstract

Nurses have an increased prevalence of H pylori antibodies that is significantly higher than the comparable prevalence of volunteer blood donors and is evident in the youngest age group. In addition, the increased prevalence is related to a longer duration of patient exposure in the nursing group.

The occupational risk of Helicobacter pylori infection: a systematic review

“…Within the group of factory workers, daytime workers who had never done shift work were the ones presenting the lowest values of H. pylori prevalence (13.4%), while skilled and unskilled professional workers presented the highest value (69.7%). Among factory workers, a slightly higher number of studies showed a lower (Chong et al 1994;Wilhoite et al 1993)…”

High seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in non-institutionalised children with mental retardation

“…Physically and mentally disabled children may be particularly exposed to microorganisms because of different feeding abilities, toilet needs, and living and sanitary arrangements, and a higher frequency of H. pylori infection has been shown among institutionalised children with mental retardation (MR) [6–10]. Since institutionalised healthy subjects also display a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection [11,12], the present study investigated the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection among non‐institutionalised children with MR.…”

“…Physically and mentally disabled children may be particularly exposed to microorganisms because of different feeding abilities, toilet needs, and living and sanitary arrangements, and a higher frequency of H. pylori infection has been shown among institutionalised children with mental retardation (MR) [6][7][8][9][10]. Since institutionalised healthy subjects also display a higher prevalence of H. pylori infection [11,12], the present study investigated the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection among noninstitutionalised children with MR. Eighty-four non-institutionalised children (34 boys, 50 girls; age range 2-18 years, median 6 years) with MR and 84 age-matched (± 1 years) and gender-matched outpatient controls were included in the study. None of the children had lived previously in an institution, or taken antibiotics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the previous 6 months.…”

Helicobacter pylori: Has the killer escaped from the institution? A possible cause of increased stomach cancer in a population with intellectual disability

“…The high risk does not only relate to residents and former residents of institutions. There is evidence of above‐average seropositive rates amongst staff working in institutions, with length of exposure and severity of disability in residents being the identified risks (Wilhoite et al 1993; Böhmer et al 1997). Little is known of the rates in families of people with ID cared for in the community or for families of staff who work with residents of institutions.…”