Helicobacter pylori sero-prevalence in different liver diseases

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with different liver diseases and determine the association and correlation between the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection and the liver diseases. The presence of a H. pylori antigen was investigated in serum samples from 274 individuals with liver diseases as well as 120 healthy individuals. H. pylori antigen was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot based on specific anti-H. pylori antibody. The result was analyzed using the chi-square test. H. pylori was detected in sera samples of 31.7% (20/63) (X2 = 3.7) of non-cirrhotic, 50% (11/22) (X2 = 3.9) of cirrhotic and 56.1% (106/189) (X2 = 5.2) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) individuals, compared to 8.4% (10/120) of healthy individuals. The levels of H. pyloriantigen were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in sera of different stages of liver diseases compared by healthy individuals. We found a good correlation between H. pylori antigen levels and the severity of the liver diseases (Pathology) (r = 0.368, p < 0.001). Also, there is a correlation between age and H. pylori antigen levels (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). H. pylori infection is correlated with occurrence and development of different stages of liver diseases. Key words: liver diseases, Helicobacter pylori.