Helicobacter pylori inGambian children with chronic diarrhoea andmalnutrition

Infection withHelicobacter pylon(formerly Campylobacter pylon)was studiedby measuring antibody titres toH pylon inGambianchildren. Serological evidence ofinfection wasfoundin12of82(15%) infants aged lessthan20months; this increased to62of 135(46%)inthose aged40-60 months. Positiveserology wasfoundin41of77(53%) infants withchronic diarrhoea andmalnutrition (meanage19months, range5-36) comparedwith18of70(26%)ofagematched healthy controls andnearly aquarter (12/49, 24%)ofagematched undernourished (marasmic)subjects. Thesedatashowthat infection withH pylon iscommonintheGambiaand that ininfancy this infection isassociated with chronic diarrhoea andmalnutrition.