Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Helicobacter pylori infection in healthy people: a dynamic process?
  1. B Meyer,
  2. B Werth,
  3. C Beglinger,
  4. S Dill,
  5. J Drewe,
  6. W A Vischer,
  7. R H Eggers,
  8. F E Bauer,
  9. G A Stalder
  1. Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.

    Abstract

    Epidemiological studies using serological tests have shown that a large proportion of healthy people have antibodies against Helicobacter pylori (anti-Hp). It is uncertain whether the presence of anti-Hp indicates active infection or only past exposure to the micro-organism. In this study we determined anti-Hp with a specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 100 healthy volunteers who were at the same time investigated for active H pylori infection by means of the 13C-urea breath test. Forty nine per cent had a high anti-Hp titre, but only 24% had active H pylori infection. Our study suggests that a considerable number of healthy people previously infected with H pylori have spontaneously eliminated this microorganism. We suggest that the inability of ulcer patients to eliminate H pylori may be important in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.