Prevalence of Active Helicobacter pylori Infection among Dyspeptic Patients in Jos, North Central Nigeria: A Urea Breath Test-based Study
McHenry Stephen *
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria and Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Obed Joy Mesan
Intercountry Center for Oral health, Jos, Nigeria.
Kumbugu Dan-Barry Ashlameh
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
China Wolbe
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Oguchukwku Harry Ifeacho
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Augustine Enenche
Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Bello Adabe
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria and Federal University Lafia Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Duguru Mary
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Felix Agnes Uduh
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Abdulrahaman Adelodun Lukman
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Okpe Mathew
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Udeh Eberechukwu Njideka
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Job Luvo Alphia
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Yahaya Baba Adamu
Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Nigeria.
Okeke Edith
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Malu A.O
Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria and Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Helicobacter pylori is seroprevalent globally (about half of the world). It’s a cause of both gastric and extra-gastric conditions. Nigeria has one of the highest prevalences in the world. Demonstrating the presence of an active organism is very important, as not all individuals with a positive serology result have active organisms. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of active organisms in dyspeptic patients using the Urea Breath Test.
Methodology: Dyspeptic patients who had been off antibiotics or bismuth salt for 4 weeks (and PPIs for 2 weeks) were tested. After adequately explaining the procedure to the participants, a 14C- labelled capsule was given to them to swallow with about 250 ml of water. After 15 minutes, they blew repeatedly into a mouthpiece attached to a Urea-14C Breath test kit collection card. This was continued until the yellow indicator turned orange. The collection card was then immediately inserted into a Headway HUBT-20P Helicobacter pylori test system analyser for 5 minutes.
Results: Two hundred and sixty-six (266) dyspeptic patients participated in the study from April 2021 to December 2022. Only 37.6% of them were males. The mean age of the participants was 38.64 Years (SD 18.75), and most were married (62.7%). Thirty-three per cent (33%) were single, 4% widowed, and only one per cent were divorced. Students made up about 27.5% and civil servants made up 22.5%. The least proportion was health workers (2.9%), while 29.4% were in the category of other professions.
The median Cpm-value was 39.00 (11.0, 132.0) and the mean was 84.01 (102.33). The proportion of patients who tested positive for H. pylori using the UBT was 125/266. This equated to a prevalence of 47.0 %
Conclusion: The prevalence of 47% of dyspeptic patients testing positive for active Helicobacter pylori was obtained using the Urea Breath Test method.
Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, urea breath test, prevalence