Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has a role in the multifactorial etiology of peptic ulcer disease. A link between H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcer disease is now established. Other contributing factors and their interaction with the organism may initiate the ulcerative process. The fact that eradication of H. pylori infection leads to a long-term cure in the majority of duodenal ulcer patients and the fact that the prevalence of infection is higher in ulcer patients than in the normal population are cogent arguments in favor of it being the primary cause of the ulceration. This study was under taken at the Department of surgery, Narayana medical college, Nellore from January 2007 to July 2008. A total of 150 patients with duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, antral gastritis, gastric carcinoma and dyspepsia of any kind were studied. Maximum number of cases were in the age group of 31 years to 50 years among both sexes and number of cases gradually decreased after 50 years of age in males and females. Males were more in number and male to female ratio is (2.75:1) approximately 3:1.