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Incidence ofHelicobacter pylori infection in a cohort of Italian military students

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Summary

Prevalence and incidence ofHelicobacter pylori infection among 250 Italian military students were studied using specific IgG antibodies. Subjects susceptible at enrollment were evaluated during a 10-month follow-up period, when two serum samples were collected after 5 and 10 months, respectively. Samples were also analyzed for anti-CagA (a protein associated with virulentH. pylori strains) IgG antibodies. Finally, spectrotypic analysis by isoelectric focusing and reverse blotting, (IEFRB) was performed in the majority of positive samples. Forty-three out of 250 (17.2%) were positive at the time of enrollment, a seroprevalence rate very similar to that observed in a larger Italian military population 5 years earlier. Among the 207 susceptible subjects, two seroconverted at 5 months after enrollment; they were still positive at the end of follow-up (incidence rate of 1.16 per 100 person/years of exposure). This data suggests a spread ofH. pylori in the Italian military population that is not negligible. Nearly all anti-H. pylori-positive subjects were also CagA antibody positive (agreement percentage: 97.6%; K=0.91), suggesting that the large majority ofH. pylori strains were of the virulent type. Sixty-four percent of positive sera presented an oligoclonal spectrotype, which seems to be a hallmark of humoral immune response toH. pylori.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DASRS, Reparto Medicina, Aeroporto Paratic di Mare, Aeronautica Militare Italiana, I-00040, Pomezia, (Rome)

    R. Biselli M.D., M. Fortini & P. M. Matricardi D.M.

  2. Epidemiology and Biostatistics Laboratory, Istituto Superiore di Santà, Viale Regina Elena 299, I-00161, Rome, Italy

    T. Stroffolini M.D.

  3. Dept. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, Via T. Campanella 115, I-88100, Catanzaro, Italy

    R. D'Amelio M.D.

  4. Millitary Helath Dept., Via S. Stefano Rotondo 4, I-00184, Rome, Italy

    R. D'Amelio M.D.

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  1. R. Biselli M.D.
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  2. M. Fortini
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  3. P. M. Matricardi D.M.
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  4. T. Stroffolini M.D.
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  5. R. D'Amelio M.D.
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Biselli, R., Fortini, M., Matricardi, P.M. et al. Incidence ofHelicobacter pylori infection in a cohort of Italian military students. Infection 27, 187–191 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02561526

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02561526

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