A population-based serologic survey of Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents in the United States

Abstract

To provide more accurate estimates of Helicobacter pylori infection in the US population, IgG antibody levels were measured in serum from 2581 persons aged 6-19 years examined during phase I of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Overall, 24.8% of participants had evidence of H. pylori infection. Infection was strongly associated with increasing age (χ2 trend, P