Abstract
The prevalence of C.pylor in childre in the tropics is unknown. Primary C.pylori infection is known to be associated with achlorhydria and in the context of individuals living in highly contaminated environments this may be of importance in the genesis of small bowel bacterial overgrowth such as that seen in children with chronic diarrhoea and malnutrition )CDM). The aim of this prliminary study was to estalish the prevalence of C.pylori infection in children in the Gambia, West Africa and especially amongst those with CDM. We used a serological method of diagnosis validated in 43 individuals from the local population by positive identification of the organism on the gastric mucosa with histological and microbiological techniques. In a cohort of 361 children we have established a prevalence rate of C.pylori infection of 14% in children under 20 months of age rising to 46% in those up to 60 months of age. In 77 children less than 3 years of age with CDM, the prevalence rate of C.pylori infection was 53% and significantly (p<0.001) greater than in equivalent groups of age - and sex-matched control children whether healthy (26%) or with marasmus without diarrhoea (24%). Thus C.pylori infection appearsd to be very common in children with CDM and htis leads us to speculate that it may have a role in the parthogenesis of the condition possibly as a result of its effect on the gastric acid barrier.
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Sullivan, P., Thomas, J., Eastham, E. et al. CAMPLYLOBACTER BYLORI IN CAMBIAN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC DIARRHOEA AN MALNUTRITION. Pediatr Res 26, 277 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00085
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198909000-00085