Prevalence of helicobacter pylori infection among suspected peptic ulcer patients in Port Harcourt, Southsouth, Nigeria

Background information Helicobacter pylori is a ubiquitous organism that causes infections that are asymptomatic, and with no specific clinical signs and symptoms. Various diagnostic tests for H. pylori have been developed. This study was intended to understand the prevalence of H. pylori among suspected peptic ulcer patients in a tertiary medical facility in Port Harcourt. Methodology The ninety-eight (98) patients who consented were properly instructed before being given a capsule containing urea. This was swallowed with 50mls of water and they waited for ten minutes, after which, they breathed into a breath card until the indicator changed colour from orange to yellow. The breath card was then inserted into a device which detects the production or otherwise of the carbon dioxide with isotopically labelled carbon by displaying positive if present or negative if absent.Result In this study, out of the forty-five male and fifty-three female subjects that participated in this study, a study prevalence of 39.8% was observed. Also, a male to female prevalence ratio of 15.3:24.5 was observed with no statistical significance (X2=0.1519, P=0.6911). Similarly, the age group distribution of H. pylori infection among the male population showed age group 41-50 years as the modal (11.6%) prevalence, followed by age group 51-60 years (9.3%) with P>0.05 (X2=3.478, P=0.7470). In the same vein, the female distribution of H. pylori infection revealed that there was no significance among the different study groups with P>0.05 (X2=3.115, P=0.7943) and age group 31-40 years (16.1%) had the modal prevalence. Conclusion The high incidence of H. pylori infection among suspected peptic ulcer patients in Port Harcourt has been established, though not as high as other studies elsewhere. Therefore, public enlightenment should be encouraged by all public health stakeholders to arrest this trend

Clinico-pathological review of malignant gastric tumours in Lagos, Nigeria

Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers and the 2d most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Contrary to earlier reports from Africa;prevalence of this cancer has been found to be comparable to that of other parts of the world.To describe the clinico-pathological features of gastric cancer diagnosed in Lagos and determine the prevalence of H. pylori infection in gastric adenocarcinoma.This was a retrospective histopathological study of all gastric cancer seen between 1995 and 2007 in the Morbid Anatomy Department of Lagos University Teaching Hospital as well as two other private histopathology laboratories in Lagos (2002-2007). The blocks and slides of gastric cancer tissue were the materials used for the study. The patients' bio data and relevant clinical details were extracted from the demographic records.There were 105 cases of gastric cancer (M:F = 2:1; mean age-55.3 years); 81of which occurred above 45 yrs. There were 95 cases (90) of adenocarcinomas; 8 (7.6) mesenchymal tumours with one case each of small cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and carcinoid tumour. H. pylori was detected in 15.5of 45 cases of adenocarcinoma with 36 showing evidence of chronic gastritis in adjacent non cancerous gastric tissue. All patients with clinical data had one or more alarm features; most recurring being abdominal fullness; recurrent vomiting; anorexia and weight loss.This study suggests that gastric malignancies are not uncommon in Lagos and often manifest with alarm features which should raise a suspicion particularly in our setting with poor diagnostic endoscopic facilities

Aspects epidemiologiques et cliniques de l'infection a helicobacter pylori en zone tropicale : a propos de 150 patients a l'hopital national de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Les auteurs rapportent les aspects epidemiologiques et cliniques de l'infection a Helicobacter pylori a l'hopital national de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) a propos d'une etude prospective interessant 150 patients presentant des symptomes digestifs et ayant beneficie d'une fibroscopie digestive haute entre le 15 avril et le 14 septembre 1994. La recherche d'helicobacter pylori s'est faite par le test de l'urease; la bacteriologie et l'histologie. Les malades etaient ages de 10 - 78 ans (moyennes = 35;5 et 14 ans comprenaient 79 femmes et 71 hommes (52;7 pour cent et 43;3 pour cent). Le germe a ete mis en evidence chez 81;3 pour cent des patients mais il n'a pas ete note de difference significative par rapport a l'age; au sexe; a l'origine (urbaine ou rurale); aux conditions socio-economiques et au nombre des personnes vivant dans la meme concession : ceci s'expliquerait par le fait qu'en Afrique; tout individu pris a l'age adulte et quel que soit son niveau socio-economique; a vecu une enfance dans un environnement propice a la contamination. Quant aux manifestations cliniques 92 pour cent des patients se plaignaient de douleurs abdominales et 53;3 pour cent presentaient un syndrome dyspepsique. Helicobacter pylori a ete mis en evidence dans 75;5 pour cent des cas le premier groupe et etait plus frequemment rencontre dans les cas de brulures (63 pour cent) et dans le siege epigastrique de la douleur (69;6 pour cent). Dans le groupe des dyspesiques les germes etaient retrouves chez 86;2 pour cent des patients et etaient notes dans tous les cas de ballonnements et d'eructations. Cependant aucun element clinique n'a ete significativement retrouve lie a la presence de Helicobacter pylori