Use of five different tests for Helicobacter pylori infection in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) has declined rapidly in Asia. This has been shown in both sero-prevalence-based and endoscopy-based studies. The present study was conducted to determine the current prevalence of H.pylori infection in Nepali population referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and its relation with gastro-duodenal diseases.

Method: Total of 146 patients (71 males and 75 females with the mean age of 42, 43 yrs, range 16-90yrs) underwent endoscopy at endoscopy services in Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Nepal. The diagnosis of H.pylori infection was determined non-invasively by serology and invasively by rapid urease test, culture, histology and immunohistochemistry.

Results: The overall prevalence of H.pylori infection was 48.6%. The sero-prevalence was 43.8%. Gastritis was the predominant finding (76.7%), followed by duodenal ucler (4.1%), gastric ulcer (4.8%), gastric adenocarcinoma (3.4%) and normal mucosa (10.9%).

Conclusion: The present study revealed the prevalence of H. pylori infection measured by serology was higher than that with other studies conducted in Nepal, the present study of the first study to use several tests at the same time to determine H. pylori prevalence.