The prevalence of anti-Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori antibodies in patients and healthy blood donors

Abstract

Summary. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a sonicated suspension of Helicobacter (Campylobacter) pylori as antigen was used to detect anti-H . pylori antibodies in 5 17 patients without dyspepsia or peptic ulcer symptoms and 401 healthy blood donors. The criterion of seropositivity was determined from a receiver operating curve computed with the values of optical densities of 48 sera from dyspeptic patients with proven helicobacter-associated gastritis and 16 sera from dyspeptic patients with proven helicobacter-associated gastritis and 16 sera from dyspeptic patients with normal antral mucosa and no microbiological or histological evidence of H . pylori infection. The 227 (44%) seropositive persons amongst the patient group appeared to be significantly higher than the 142 (35%) sera with antibodies in the blood donors tested (p < 0-03), even when adjustment was made for increasing age. We conclude that the prevalence of antibodies against H . pylori increases with age and that although antibodies are more prevalent in patients attending a hospital than in healthy blood donors, seropositivity suggestive of current or past infection can be found in one third of a randomly chosen population of blood donors.

Prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori </i>Antibodies in Patients on Chronic Intermittent Haemodialysis

“…However, the age of our seropositive haemodialysis patients was higher than that of the patients reported [5,6]. It is generally accepted that H. pylori infection is acquired during life and the increa sing prevalence of the infection with rising age is well known [9]. From figure 2 it is evident that the higher prevalence comes on account of the oldest age cohort.…”

Influence of IL-1 gene cluster polymorphisms on the development of H. pylori associated gastric ulcer

“…Blood donors resemble genotype distribution of the normal population and carry antibodies against H. pylori in 35% [17] in agreement with the German National Health interview and Examination Survey [18]. Thus blood donors may serve as controls investigating the susceptibility to H. pylori infection.…”

A Review of Diagnostic Techniques for <i>Helicobacter pylori </i>Infection

“…A major problem in interpreting the results of serologi cal studies is the uncertainty whether active infection is present or whether the presence of antibodies merely reflects the serological scar of a past infection [72], Although the antibody titre in patients with II. pylori gastritis is sig nificantly higher compared to healthy blood donors [73]. considerable overlap is present.…”