Declining prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Jordanian children, report from developing country

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacteria that is harbored in the stomach and linked to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric malignancy. Most Helicobacter infections are acquired during early infancy. This study aimed to establish the prevalence of H. pylori infection in Jordanian children using the (13)C-urea breath test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled children between the ages of 4 and 17 years from April 2019 to July 2019. Enrolled children were patients with nongastrointestinal complaints at the pediatric clinics of two hospitals and at community centers caring for healthy children in Irbid, Jordan. Questionnaires obtaining data on sociodemographics, clinical symptomatology, and hygienic risk factors were completed. Recruited children underwent a urea breath test (UBT). RESULTS: Of 340 children who were recruited, 328 (96.5%) were included in the final analysis. The mean age (±standard deviation) was 9.56 (±3.98) years (range, 4.0–17 years), and 168 (51.2%) were males. Only 48 children (14.6%) tested positive. There were no gender differences. Living in an urban area and a family history of previous H. pylori infection were risk factors for the acquisition of infection (P = 0.007 and 0.001, respectively). Although gastrointestinal symptoms were more common in H. pylori-infected children, only hiccups and constipation were statistically significant (P = 0.035 and 0.038, respectively). CONCLUSION: H. pylori infects at least 15% of Jordanian children, suggesting a significant drop in infection rates in this group. Larger-scale studies combined with clinical evaluations will be important for further understanding the reasons for the observed decrease in H. pylori infections in Jordanian children.