CagA Helicobacter pylori Seropositivity in Asymptomatic,
Apparently Healthy, Young Adult Egyptian Food Handlers
Yahia Zakaria Gad, Amany Mohammad Hassan
Citation Information :
Zakaria Gad Y, Mohammad Hassan A. CagA Helicobacter pylori Seropositivity in Asymptomatic, Apparently Healthy, Young Adult Egyptian Food Handlers. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2012; 2 (1):20-23.
Background/Aim: Infection with CagA Helicobacter pylori
(H. pylori) positive strain is a risk factor for the development of
atrophic gastritis and gastric adenocarcinoma. This study
investigated the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its virulent
strains CagA in Egyptian food handlers.
Subjects and methods: A total of 365 eligible male subjects
participated in the initial study. Venous blood samples were
collected from all participants for assessment of H. pylori specific
IgG and serum CagA antibodies.
Results: Out of 365 subjects, 310 were reactive to H. pylori.
Out of them, CagA was detected in 143 H. pylori-infected
subjects. CagA antibodies were more common in cigarette
smokers (< 0.001), living in high crowding index (< 0.001), with
low family income (< 0.01) and sharing their bedrooms during
childhood (< 0.001).
Conclusion: Our data revealed a high prevalence of CagA
virulent strains among asymptomatic apparent food handlers
of Egypt. Emergency surveillance mechanisms should be
developed for containment of H. pylori infection in Egypt.
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