OC14 The prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection using monoclonal stool antigen test in apparently healthy Nigerian secondary school children in Surulere LGA Lagos state

Abstract

<h3></h3> Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is known to cause chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma and mucous associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and it is acquired in childhood.^{1 2} There is limited knowledge about the prevalence and factors associated with H. pylori infection using a non-invasive method like the monoclonal stool antigen test with a high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in Nigeria children. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with H. pylori infection in apparently healthy Nigeria secondary school children in Surulere L.G.A of Lagos state. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit two hundred and fifty-nine apparently healthy children, aged 11 – 18 years (106 males, 153 females) in this descriptive observational study. A monoclonal stool antigen test was used to identify H. pylori while a pretested interviewer administered questionnaire was employed to obtain information on socio-demographic factors and their nutritional status was also determined to assess associated factors. The majority (51.7%) were aged 11 – 13 years while about half were from the middle socio-economic class. The overall prevalence of H. pylori was 49.0% in 259 secondary school children as shown in table 1. The age specific rates were 52.0% in children aged 11 – 13 years, 43.3% in children aged 14 – 16 years and 4.7% in the age group 17 – 18 years. H. pylori was associated with underweight malnutrition (p = 0.003) as shown in table 2 but no association was found with age, gender, type of secondary school, Class category, maternal level of education and socioeconomic class. The prevalence of H. pylori infection is high among Nigerian secondary school children particularly in those who are underweight. Considering the long-term implication of H. pylori which includes gastric cancer^{3 4} routine screening of underweight secondary school children for H. pylori is recommended. <h3>References</h3> Rajindrajith S, Niranga M, Silva H. Helicobacter pylori infection in children. <i>Saudi J Gastroenterol</i> 2009;<b>15</b>:86–94. Zamani M, Ebrahimtabar F, Zamani V. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the worldwide prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. <i>Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther.</i> 2018;<b>47</b>:868–876. Kindermann A, Lopes A. Helicobacter pylori infection. <i>Pediatrics Helicobacter</i> 2009;<b>14</b>:52–7. Stenstrom B, Mendis A, Marshall B. Helicobacter pylori: the latest in diagnosis and treatment. <i>Australian Family Physician</i> 2008;<b>37</b>:608–12.