Molecular Detection of Helicobacter pylori and Epstein- Barr Virus Co-infection among Sudanese Gastritis Patients, Khartoum State- Sudan

Abstract

Gastritis is one of the most common gastrointestinal issues worldwide. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) unequivocally causes both acute and chronic gastritis. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is also one of the most prevalent viruses globally, affecting nearly everyone at some point in their lives. However, the co-infection of EBV and H. pylori remains poorly understood in African countries. This study aimed to investigate the presence of H. pylori and EBV among Sudanese patients with gastritis. One hundred (n=100) gastric biopsy samples were collected from patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Police Hospital in Khartoum State, Sudan, from January 2019 to February 2020. DNA was extracted using the guanidine chloride method and detected by conventional PCR for EBV (EBNA-4) and H. pylori (16S rRNA) genes. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. Among gastric patients, 61 (61%) were males, and 39 (39%) were females. The prevalence of EBV was 17% (95% CI: 10.2-26.1%), with a significant association found in males (88.2% vs. 11.8%, p. value= 0.012). The prevalence of H. pylori was 34% (95% CI: 24.9–44.3) with no association with gender (p. value > 0.05). The co-infection rate of EBV and H. pylori was 7% (95% CI: 2.9–13.9), with no statistically significant difference observed (OR = 1.32; p. value = 0.493; 95% CI: 0.48–3.62). The prevalence of EBV and EBV/H. pylori co-infection in patients with gastritis in Sudan is low. EBV is more commonly associated with males. These findings underscore the need for further research on EBV's role in gastritis, particularly in endemic regions, and consideration of sex-stratified approaches.