Ninety-nine subjects were evaluated. The majority were women, 61.6% (61/99), with a mean age of 21 ± 16. Of the total sample, 42 (42.5%) were positive for H. pylori. Twenty-eight women (28.3%) and 14 men (14.1%) were H. pylori positive. The mean age of the infected individuals was 23.8 ± 15.81. Negative patients had a lower mean age (19.2 ± 15.47).
The subjects were classified according to their family role related to H. pylori infection; 51 children (51.5%), 31 mothers (31.3%), and 14 fathers (14.1%). The children had the highest prevalence of oral infection with H. pylori (18.2%), followed by the mothers with 16.2% and the fathers with 6.1% (Table 1).
Table 1
The prevalence of H. pylori infection related to the family role.
Role | Total n = 99 | H. pylori status | p-value |
Positive n = 42 (42.4%) | Negative n = 57 (57.6%) |
Father | 14 (14.1) | 6 (6.1) | 8 (8.1) | 0.251a |
Mother | 31 (31.3) | 16 (16.2) | 15 (15.2) |
First son | 33 (33.3) | 12 (12.1) | 21 (21.2) |
Second son | 14 (14.1) | 3 (3) | 11 (11.1) |
Third son | 4 (4) | 3 (3) | 1 (1) |
Otherb | 3 (1) | 2 (2) | 1 (1) |
aFisher's exact test |
bMaternal uncle, aunt, or grandmother. |
According to the mother-child intrafamily relationship, eight families (22.2%) had a mother with at least one child with H. pylori infection; in four (11.1%), a father and at least one child, and in 3 (8.3%) families, both parents and at least one child, had an infection (Table 2).
Table 2
Distribution of the families based on H. pylori infection and the relationship between parents and children.
Family Relationship | Total n (%) | H. pylori status |
Positive n (%) | Negative n (%) |
Mother-child | 36 (100) | 8 (22.2) | 28 (77.8) |
Father-child | 4 (11.1) | 32 (88.9) |
Father and Mother-child | 3 (8.3) | 33 (91.7) |
In infected patients, the prevalence of the vacA s1/m1 and CagA genes was 40.5% (17/42) and 21.4% (9/42), respectively. Most of the subjects (19/42; 45.2%) had the vacA s1/m1-/cagA- genotype; however, 14 (33.4%) had the vacA s1/m1+/cagA- genotype. The vacA s1/m1-/cagA + genotype was only present in 6 (14.3%) and 3 individuals (7.1%) had the vacA s1/m1+/cagA + genotype.
The relationship with gender and age of the subjects was identified according to the number of genotypes. Females had the highest number of vacA s1/m1-/cagA- genotypes (13/42; 31%). The vacA s1/m1+/ cagA- was present in 10 (23.8%). This genotype was also observed in males but in fewer subjects. Three (7.1%) individuals in both genders had the vacA s1/m1-/cagA + genotype. Finally, two (4.8%) females and one male (2.4%) had the vacA s1/m1+ /cagA + genotype (Table 3).
Table 3
Distribution of H. pylori genotypes.
Variable | Genotypes | P-value |
vacA s1/m1+ / cagA- | vacA s1/m1+ / cagA+ | vacA s1/m1- / cagA- | vacA s1/m1- / cagA+ | Total |
n = 14 (33.4) | n = 3 (7.1) | n = 19 (45.2) | n = 6 (14.3) | n = 42 (100) |
H. pylori genotypes based on gender and age |
Male, n (%) | 4 (9.5) | 1 (2.4) | 6 (14.3) | 3 (7.1) | 14 (33.3) | 0.876a |
Female, n (%) | 10 (23.8) | 2 (4.8) | 13 (31) | 3 (7.1) | 28 (66.7) |
Age, mean ± SD | 19.52 ± 17.3 | 15.8 ± 19.5 | 26.63 ± 14.83 | 28.83 ± 13.43 | 21.13 ± 15.7 | 0.344b |
H. pylori genotypes based on family role |
Role n (%) | | | | | | 0.784 |
Father | 1 (2.4) | 0 | 3 (7.1) | 2 (4.8) | 6 (11.3) | |
Mother | 4 (9.5) | 1 (2.4) | 8 (19) | 3 (7.1) | 16 (38) | |
1st son | 4 (9.5) | 1 (2.4) | 6 (14.3) | 1 (2.4) | 12 (28.6) | |
2nd son | 2 (4.8) | 0 | 1 (2.4) | 0 | 3 (7.2) | |
3rd son | 2 (4.8) | 1 (2.4) | 0 | 0 | 3 (7.2) | |
Otherc | 1 (2.4) | 0 | 1 (2.4) | 0 | 2 (4.8) | |
aFisher exact test |
bKruskal–Wallis test |
cMaternal uncle, aunt, or grandmother. |
The genotypes varied according to the age of the patients, 19.52 ± 17.3 for the genotype vacA s1/m1+/cagA-; 15.8 ± 19.5 for vacAs1/m1+/cagA+, 26.63 ± 14.83 for vacAs1/m1-/cagA-, and 28.83 ± 13.43 for vacA s1/m1-/cagA+.
The family role of the H. pylori-positive individuals was evaluated. The genotypes of the VacA s1/m1 and CagA genes correlated. For the vacA s1/m1-/cagA- genotype, the mother was the role with the highest expression with 19% (8/42), followed by the first son with 14.3% (6/42). The majority roles were that of the mother and the first child, with 9.5% (4/42), followed by the rest of the children with 4.8% (2/42) for the vacA s1/m1+/cagA- genotype. The vacA s1/m1-/cagA + genotype was 7.1% (3/42) for the mother, which is the majority role, followed by the father with 4.8% (2/42). Finally, the vacA s1/m1 + cagA + genotype appeared in only one individual each (2.4%) for the mother, first son, and third son.
The genotypes found in each family member were identified according to the number of families, considering the presence of the genotypes in at least 1 family member (Table 4). Coinfection with two different genotype combinations was found in 6/36 families (16.6%). Coinfection with the vacA s1/m1+/ cagA- and vacA s1/m1-/ cagA- genotypes was observed in 4/36 families (11.1%). Coinfection with the vacA s1/m1-/cagA- and the vacA s1/m1-/cagA + genotypes was observed in 2/36 families (5.5%). In 1/36 families (2.7%), three genotypes were observed, vacA s1/m1+/cagA+, vacA s1/m1-/cagA-, and vacA s1/m1- /cagA+.
Table 4
Distribution of Helicobacter pylori genotypes in families with at least one infected member.
Family No. | Genotypes |
vacA s1/m1+ / cagA- n = 14 (33.3%) | vacA s1/m1+ / cagA+ n = 3 (7.1%) | vacA s1/m1- / cagA- n = 19 (45.2%) | vacA s1/m1- / cagA+ n = 6 (14.3%) |
2 | – | – | – | 1 (100) |
3 | – | 1 (100) | – | – |
4 | – | – | 1 (100) | – |
5 | 1 (50) | – | 1 (50) | – |
7 | – | – | 1 (100) | – |
8 | – | – | 2 (100) | – |
9 | – | – | 1 (50) | 1 (50) |
10 | – | – | 1 (100) | – |
11 | 1 (100) | – | – | – |
12 | 2 (66.7) | – | 1 (33.3) | – |
13 | – | – | 2 (100) | – |
14 | 3 (100) | – | – | – |
15 | 2 (66.7) | – | 1 (33.3) | – |
16 | 1 (50) | – | 1 (50) | – |
17 | – | – | 1 (100) | – |
18 | – | – | – | 1 (100) |
19 | – | – | – | 1 (100) |
22 | 1 (100) | – | – | – |
25 | – | – | 2 (66.7) | 1 (33.3) |
26 | – | 1 (100) | – | – |
29 | 1 (100) | – | – | – |
30 | – | 1 (33.3) | 1 (33.3) | 1 (33.3) |
31 | – | – | 2 (100) | – |
32 | – | – | 1 (100) | – |
35 | 1 (100) | – | – | – |
36 | 1 (100) | – | – | – |