Seropositivity to Helicobacter pylori: Lack of association with length of hospitalization

Abstract

To examine the possibility of nosocomial spread of Helicobacter pylori, a serosurvey (n = 238) was conducted at Perry Point Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, an institution providing both acute and chronic care. We hypothesized that if significant nosocomial transmission was occurring, seropositivity (as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) would correlate with length of stay in the facility. Whether treated as a continuous or dichotomous variable, the ELISA results did not correlate significantly with length of stay even after adjustments were made for age, race, antibiotic use, gastrointestinal instrumentation, and diagnoses by using multiple-regression models. Age was found to be a significant risk factor for a higher ELISA optical density value. A history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was significantly protective among internal medicine ward patients in adjusted analysis; black race was a significant risk factor among psychiatry ward patients. Our results confirm the association of H. pylori infection with age but provide no indication that extended hospitalization is a risk factor for infection.