PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI INFECTION AMONG FARMERS AND NON-FARMERS WITH DYSPEPSIA

AbstractIntroduction: Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) is a gram negative spirally shaped bacterium. It is known to be the most common cause of dyspepsia especially in developing countries as Egypt. Aim of work: To identify the prevalence of H pylori among patients with dyspepsia especially farmers and the infection risk factors. Materials and methods: This is a hospital based cross-sectional study conducted on 152 patients (78 farmers and 74 non-farmers) with dyspepsia among those admitted to Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy Unit at Menoufia University hospital, Menoufia, Egypt. They were recruited to this study from 1st September 2017 to the end of May 2018. Designed questionnaire, clinical examination, esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) and histopathological evaluation were conducted to the studied patients. Results: The overall prevalence rate of H pylori among dyspeptic patients in the current study was (73.7%) and significantly higher among low levels of education (28.6%), female gender (69.6%), farmers occupation (57.1%), low socioeconomic status (28.6%), who consume tap water for drinking (76.8%) and unwashed vegetables (73.2%). Epigastric pain was more common in patients with H pylori (P <0.001). Also, acid reflux, morning vomiting and upper abdominal distention were significantly more prevalent among Hpylori positive cases. About (82.1%) of farmers were significantly positively infected than non-farmers (64.9%). Illiterate female farmers who didn’t wash vegetables and with history of peptic ulcers were more susceptible of infection. Conclusion:Farmers occupation was at risk of H pylori infection than non-farmers. Illiteracy, bad sanitation and low hygienic standard were the risk factors of infection. Health education and environmental sanitation are recommended to lower the prevalence of H pylori especially among farmers.