ABSTRACT
We evaluated the prevalence of, and factors associated with, Helicobacter pylori infection in 222 subjects from 3 distinct communities of native populations (Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indians and 2 riverine communities living on the banks of the Machado river and in Portuchuelo) living in isolation in the rainforest of Brazilian Western Amazon. The overall prevalence was 78.8% (95% CI 72.7-83.9). The prevalence was higher in the Machado river community compared with Portuchuelo (chi2 = 3.84, P = 0.05), but no significant difference was observed between the Machado river community and the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indians. Logistic regression showed that residential crowding and age were factors associated with the presence of H. pylori infection. Acquisition of the bacterium started early in life and by the age of 2 years 50% of children were infected. The prevalence increased with age, reaching near universal levels during adulthood (97.9%). Residential crowding was high with a global index of 3.3 persons/room (SD = 1.8), varying significantly between the 3 communities (P = 0.001). These data provide further evidence supporting direct person-to-person spread of the bacterium.
Subject(s)
Helicobacter Infections/epidemiology , Helicobacter pylori , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brazil/ethnology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Helicobacter Infections/diagnosis , Helicobacter Infections/etiology , Humans , Indians, South American , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Residence Characteristics , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
One hundred and thirty cases of diarrhea and 43 age-matched controls, 0 to 5 years old, were studied in a pediatric outpatient unit from a poor peri urban area of Porto Velho, Rondônia. Eighty percent of diarrheal cases were observed in the groups under 2 years of age. Rotavirus (19.2%) was the most frequent enteropathogen associated with diarrhea, followed by Shigella flexneri (6.15%) and S. sonnei (1.5%) and Salmonella sp. (6.9%). Four cases of E. coli enterotoxigenic infections (3.1%), E. coli enteropathogenic (EPEC)(2.3%) one case of E. coli enteroinvasive infection (0.8%) and one case of Yersinia enterocolitica (0.8%) were also identified. Mixed infections were frequent, associating rotavirus, EPEC and Salmonella sp. with Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia.
