Korean J Helicobacter Up Gastrointest Res.
2011 Jun;11(1):1-6. 10.7704/kjhugr.2011.11.1.1.
Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korea
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea. baikgh@hallym.or.kr
- KMID: 2305182
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.7704/kjhugr.2011.11.1.1
Abstract
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common chronic bacterial infection in humans and causes many upper abdominal diseases and symptoms. Infection is more frequent and acquired at an earlier age in developing countries compared to industrialized nations. In Korea, the nation-wide seroprevalence of H. pylori infection in 1998 was higher than that of the developed countries. At the year, the seroprevalence in children (neonate~15 years) and adult (16~79 years) were 17.2% and 66.9%, respectively. However, seroprevalence in 2005 (59.6%) significantly decreased compared with that of 1998 (66.9%), and the decrease was significant in subjects aged less than 70 years, living in Seoul and Gyeonggi province (which is close to Seoul). The major route of transmission remains poorly understood. However, according to multivariate analysis, sex, age, geographic area, crowding (number of person per room) in childhood, economic status in childhood, and types of housing in childhood were significantly and independently associated with H. pylori seroprevalence. As 13 years have already passed since the nation-wide study in 1998, well designed study including infants and children is warranted to elucidate the seroprevalence, epidemiological factors, and the route of transmission of H. pylori infection in Korea.
