Association of tobacco smoke–infused water (tuibur) use by Mizo people and risk of Helicobacter pylori infection

The study aims to understand the influence of environmental and lifestyle factors and more specifically the role of tobacco smoke–infused water (tuibur) on Helicobacter pylori infection. It was a cross-sectional study to measure the epidemiological risk factors associated with H. pylori infection among the tribal population in Northeast India. Endoscopic samples were collected from the antrum region of the stomach from 863 participants with gastritis. H. pylori infection was confirmed in 475 samples by the rapid urease test and PCR-based methods. Information on demographic and lifestyle factors was collected using a validated and standardized questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between the various factors and H. pylori . The use of tuibur was associated with an increased OR of H. pylori infection (OR = 3.32, 95% Cl = 1.95–5.83). Tobacco chewers (OR = 1.49, 95% Cl = 1.06–2.09), smokers (OR = 1.81, 95% Cl = 1.26–2.61), and alcohol consumers (OR = 1.81, 95% Cl = 1.19–2.76) were also infected with H. pylori . The results were not attenuated after adjusting for major well-known risk factors of H. pylori infection. The habit of tuibur consumption may be a contributing factor to the high prevalence of H. pylori infection and in turn, may contribute to the high prevalence of gastritis among the Mizo population.