Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in a population of schoolchildren six years of age and to identify the risk factors that predispose children to such infection.
Patients and methods: A total of 1055 first-grade primary-school pupils were included. Socioeconomic factors, eating habits, gastrointestinal complaints and family history of peptic ulcer or gastric cancer were recorded with a questionnaire. Serum samples were collected to determine H. pylori infection status using ELISA for IgG antibodies.
Results: The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 51.4%. On univariate analysis, risk factors for H. pylori infection were household-crowding, lower socioeconomic status, late weaning from bottlefeeding (more than 18 months), bed-sharing and cup-sharing. Symptoms related to infection were abdominal pain and vomiting. On multivariate analysis, household-crowding, late bottle-weaning, bed-sharing and abdominal pain were the only variables that remained strongly associated with H. pylori infection.
Conclusion: The high prevalence of H. pylori infection in Tunisian children is associated with poor living conditions.