SERO PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING CLINIC IN ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL ABA

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is an ubiquitous organism. Helicobateriosis is the most common human bacterial infection as it affects more than 50% of the world population. Infection in developing countries is high. The infection is typically acquired in infancy and persist life-long unless treated. A hospital-based cross-sectional study of the infection Sero-prevalence of helicobacter pylori among patients attending Abia State University Teaching Hospital was conducted. Helicobater pylori antibodies were detected from the blood of 100 participants using a rapid chromatographic immunoasy. Data generated from the study was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The sero prevalence of H.pylori infection was 61%. The infection prevalence was highest among individual within the age group 19 – 36 years (42.62%) and the least infected was the age group ≤ 18 years (8.2%) (P < 0.05). Females were more infected (52.46%) than males (47.54%). There was no statistical association between H.pylori infection & gender (P > 0.05). Students were highly infected (39.34%) followed by traders/business people (31.15%), civil servants (24.59%), farmers (3.28%) and the least was house wives (1.64%). Participants where source of drinking water was stram/river had more H.pylori infection (49.18%) than those using packaged water (13.11%)(P < 0.05).Those who eat outdoors had higher prevalence (73.77%) than those that eat indoors (26.23%) (P< 0.05). This study reviews high prevalence of H.pylori infection among patients attending ABSUTH, Aba. Age and source of drinking water was associated with H.pylori infection in Aba. Therefore routine H.pylori screening assay of all patients should be carried out since the symptoms of these bacteria infection can be asymptomatic. This will help in prompt treatment and eradication of H.pylori infection.