Intrafamilial clustering of Helicobacter pylori infection in Saudi Arabia

AIM: To study the pattern of Helicobacter pylori infection among family members in the Saudi population. METHODS: PL cross-sectional, population-based, seroepidemiological study of family members was undertaken in a Saudi population using saliva H pylori immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies (Helisal kit). RESULTS: A total of 42 families comprising 271 children and 84 parents were studied (355 subjects; mean age 23 years, SD 19 years) The overall frequencies of H pylori IgG antibodies in mothers, fathers and children were 67%, 64% and 23%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the infection rate between mothers and fathers, or between boys and girls. The infection rate i among children increased when one or both parents were seropositive, and the infection rate among parents was proportionally related to the number of infected children per family. The frequency of H pylori antibodies was significantly higher in spouses of seropositive parents than in spouses of seronegative parents (45% compared with 19.2%). CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm that the intrafamilial clustering of H pylori infection in Saudi Arabia occurs in a similar pattern to that described In the developed countries, and that living conditions and social conditions lead to person to person transmission of H pylori infection.