High prevalence and low spontaneous eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori infection among schoolchildren aged 7-12 years.

AIM: Helicobacter pylori infections mainly occur during childhood and may cause chronic diseases and persist for life unless they are treated. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence and infection status of H. pylori infection among schoolchildren.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 867 children (52% male) aged 7-12 years in a primary school in the Minhang District of Shanghai, China, in 2014, and a one-year follow-up study of 352 subjects. The 13C-urea breath test was used to identify the H. pylori infection at baseline and one year later. A parental questionnaire provided information regarding the children's socioeconomic status and household environment.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of the H. pylori infection was 24.1% (209/867), with a 95% confidence interval of 21.3% to 27.0%. The one-year follow-up study of 352 subjects found that 33.5% were positive for the infection at baseline and 66.5% were negative. We found that 27.1% of the positive cases recovered and 8.9% of the negative cases acquired the infection during the year. The spontaneous eradication rate was only 2.9% over the one-year period.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the H. pylori infection among Chinese schoolchildren aged 7-12 was high and spontaneous eradication was low.