Low prevalence of H. pylori Infection in HIV-Positive Patients in the Northeast of Brazil

Andréa Bc Fialho,Christianne Fv Takeda,Manuel B Braga-Neto,Dulciene Mm Queiroz,Lucia Lbc Braga,Eder Jc Guerra,Karine C Fernandes,André Mn Fialho,Juliana Lm Sun,Cícero Is Silva

doi:10.1186/1471-230x-11-13

Abstract

BackgroundThis study conducted in Northeastern Brazil, evaluated the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the presence of gastritis in HIV-infected patients.MethodsThere were included 113 HIV-positive and 141 age-matched HIV-negative patients, who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for dyspeptic symptoms. H. pylori status was evaluated by urease test and histology.ResultsThe prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in HIV-infected (37.2%) than in uninfected (75.2%) patients. There were no significant differences between H. pylori status and gender, age, HIV viral load, antiretroviral therapy and the use of antibiotics. A lower prevalence of H. pylori was observed among patients with T CD4 cell count below 200/mm3; however, it was not significant. Chronic active antral gastritis was observed in 87.6% of the HIV-infected patients and in 780.4% of the control group (p = 0.11). H. pylori infection was significantly associated with chronic active gastritis in the antrum in both groups, but it was not associated with corpus chronic active gastritis in the HIV-infected patients.ConclusionWe demonstrated that the prevalence of H. pylori was significantly lower in HIV-positive patients compared with HIV-negative ones. However, corpus gastritis was frequently observed in the HIV-positive patients, pointing to different mechanisms than H. pylori infection in the genesis of the lesion.

Highlights

This study conducted in Northeastern Brazil, evaluated the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the presence of gastritis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are frequent among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) [1,2] the role of H. pylori infection in the GI tract mucosa of HIV patients is not well defined [3]
Corpus gastritis was significantly more frequently observed in the dyspeptic HIV-positive than in HIV-negative patients

Summary

Introduction

This study conducted in Northeastern Brazil, evaluated the prevalence of H. pylori infection and the presence of gastritis in HIV-infected patients. Helicobacter pylori infection is the major etiologic factor of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer in the general population. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are frequent among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) [1,2] the role of H. pylori infection in the GI tract mucosa of HIV patients is not well defined [3]. Data in regard to the prevalence of H. pylori infection in HIV-infected population are controversial. Some reports have shown that the rate of the infection in HIV-positive patients is remarkably low when compared with the general population [6,7]. Other studies have not found similar results [8,9,10]

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