Unexpected high seroprevalence of helicobacter pylori infection in Mashhad, Iran

Helicobacter pylori infection affects almost half of the world's population, making it the most prevalent infection globally. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in a sample of the general population of Mashhad, Iran, in consideration of the prevalence and importance of Helicobacter pylori infection in the east of the country, especially Mashhad. Materials and Methods: A total of 1,026 subjects were selected as the sample from the general population of Mashhad, Iran. Their serum samples which were stored in the Mashhad study project were provided to the researchers. The samples were examined for the presence or absence of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies. Results: A mean age of 45 was reported for subjects, and the majority (54.8%) were female. In the study population, Helicobacter pylori infection was 85.2 percent. On the basis of Helicobacter pylori infection, participants were assigned into two groups of infected and non-infected. The laboratory variables were not significantly different between the two groups. Moreover, no significant differences were found between the two groups in any of the underlying variables. Conclusion: The results of the present study pointed to a very high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in a sample of the general population in Mashhad, Iran. This highlights the importance of investigating this bacterium as one of the major causes of various gastrointestinal problems.