Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Military Personnel from Northeast China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE: Helicobacter pylori infection is an important cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Current knowledge regarding epidemiology of H. pylori infection in military personnel has insufficiently been updated. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in military personnel and to compare the prevalences in military and civilian groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled the subjects who underwent (14)C-urea breath tests at the Department of Gastroenterology of the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command between January 2017 and July 2020. Subjects were divided into military and civilian groups. H. pylori infection and major endoscopic findings were reviewed. RESULTS: Overall, 23,496 subjects were eligible, including 2282 subjects in the military group and 21,214 subjects in the civilian group. In the overall analysis, the prevalence of H. pylori infection was not significantly different between military and civilian groups (33.9% versus 34.4%, P=0.592). In the population aged 17–25 years, the prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly higher in the military group than in the civilian group (35.6% versus 25.9%, P=0.001). Both (14)C-UBT and endoscopy were performed in 547 inpatients, including 83 military inpatients and 464 civilian inpatients. There was a significantly higher prevalence of H. pylori in inpatients with peptic ulcer and/or gastric cancer than in those without (65.5% versus 41.4%, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Among the adolescent population, H. pylori infection may be more common in military personnel as compared to the civilians. Well-designed prospective studies should be required to validate such a high prevalence and to explain its potential causes.