Helicobacter pylori Infection in Healthy and Dyspeptic Adult Populations Residents in Tripoli and Sebha of Libyan cities: A Seroepidemiologic Study

Abstract

Helicobacter pylorus (H. pylori) is the commonest bacterial pathogen found worldwide, and more than half the world population is colonized with it. The infection rate is 85-90 % in developing countries. The prevalence of H. pylori infection varies according to geographic area, socioeconomic conditions, and the method used to detect H. pylori infection. There is a lack of information about the seroprevalence of anti- H.pylori antibodies in asymptomatic & symptomatic patients in Libya. Aims: - To determine the prevalence of the H.pylori infection in Healthy and Dyspeptic adult populations resident in two communities, Tripoli and Sebha regions. To correlate with the risk factors associated with H.pylori seropositivity in such two populations. Materials & Methods:-  A Blood sample from (100) healthy individuals from Sebha region & (175) healthy from Tripoli area. The dyspeptic patients (125, 94) were attending Gastroenterology Unit of Central Tripoli Hospital & Sebha Hospital respectively. Anti-H.pylori IgG was determined with ELISA method, questionnaire covering Sociodemographic variables were completed by interview. Results:- In Sebha region, the overall prevalence of H.pylori  was 57% in healthy & 37%  in Dyspeptic patients respectively . In Tripoli region, the Healthy was 85.1%, dyspeptic were 83.2%. Conclusions: In the two cities, H.pylori detection in healthy and dyspeptic was high in those aged 25-35 years. Further research in Libya is needed to establish the potential role of H. pylori in gastric and extragastric pathologies.