Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection Among School Children of 6-12 Years Age Group in Fayoum Governorate

Abstract

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium colonizing human stomach and associated with numerous gastrointestinal diseases. Most of the people acquire H. pylori infection during their early childhood. Aim of the work: To evaluate the percentage of H. pylori infection and its associated risk factors in school children of (6-12) years-age group in Fayoum Governorate. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at basic schools in Fayoum Governorate. A series of one hundred (100) apparently healthy children, living in Fayoum Governorate, attending basic schools in Fayoum city and village around it with their age ranging from (6-12) years included in the study and studied for the effect of age, sex and other risk factors which influencing the prevalence of H. pylori infection. Stool samples were obtained were assayed for H. pylori Ag. Results: Our study showed that the overall H. Pylori prevalence in cases of the study were 18% (18/100) and frequency of positive cases didn't increase significantly with advances of age. In a trial to study risk factors for acquisition of H. Pylori infection in our cases group, we found a highly significant difference between positive and negative cases regarding {family crowding (number of family members and number of rooms}, toilet sharing, gastrointestinal troubles, family history of gastric troubles and the centile value for weight and stature). Also, we found no significant differences between positive and negative cases regarding (Sex, age, residence, occupational and educational status of parents and cases who had owned or not pet animals). Conclusion: The prevalence of H. Pylori infection among children with their age raging from (6-12) years in Fayoum governorate (Egypt) was substantially close to developed countries. It could be one of the environmental causes of growth delay.