Prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Infection among Internally Displaced Persons from Bakassi Peninsular and Etim Ekpo in South Southern, Nigeria

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), is an important global infection with a worldwide prevalence of about 40 percent. This infection is contagious and mostly acquired during childhood through the fecal-oral and oral-oral route. A total of 1560 blood specimens were aseptically collected from Internally Displaced Persons comprising female and male from the warring communities of Bakassi Peninsular and Etim Ekpo Local Government Area in South Southern, Nigeria. The specimens were screened for H. pylori using Elisa kits following standard serological techniques. The overall prevalence rate was 464 (29.7%). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in the inter-community endemicity of H. pylori infection; its distribution varied between age group, educational status, habits or behaviors of the subjects with children within 5 to 14 years having the highest rate of 274 (17.6%), followed by 78 (4.99%) from adults (51 years and above) and 17 (1.08%) from active age range of 36-45 years old. Subjects with primary and quranic level of education showed a total of 274 (17.56%) positive cases to H. pylori. Analysis of sex-specific distribution revealed that females had the highest prevalence of 312 (20%). The helicobacter infection shows a significant difference at (p < 0.05) among the occupational groups of the subject. The study of habits such as smoking and snuffing consumption have been linked as risk factors with a prevalence rate of 11%, 12.4% respectively, while regular alcoholic drink was indicted as enhancing factor for H. pylori infection. Crowding in camps and increasing household contact have been considered as risk factors of H. pylori infection. Adequate infrastructural provision and availability of portable water with good hygienic environment will drastically reduce the high rate spread of H. pylori bacterium in the IDPs communities in Nigeria.

Detection and Prevalence of Syphilis, Hepatitis C Virus andHelicobacter pyloriCo-Infection among Pregnant Women attending Primary Health Centre, Mbodo-Aluu, Rivers State, Nigeria

“…The current results also contradict the findings of Ahaotu et al (2023b), who asserted a larger prevalence of traders. It also contradicts the findings of Owowo et al (2019), Kabido et al (2022) and Mnichil et al (2023), who asserted a larger prevalence of farmers.…”

“…At 44.0%, the seroprevalence was greater in those with secondary education than with postsecondary education (32.7%) and no form of education (13.0%). This is at odds with a study by Zhu et al (2014) Owowo et al (2019) showed that primary education holders had the greatest prevalence. This could be because those with higher levels of education may be more exposed and, thus, have had more interaction with the condition.…”

“…The 31.0% reported here, however, is higher than the 2.0% observed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria (Okonko & Barine, 2023), the 12.7% reported by Jemikalajah and Okogun (2014) in Warri, Nigeria, the 19.6% by Ayodele et al (2018) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and the 20.0% reported by Ahaotu et al (2023a) in Port Harcourt and Emerenini et al (2021) in Owerri, both in Nigeria, the 26.2% reported by Innocent-Adiele et al (2023) in Calabar, Nigeria and the 29.7% reported by Owowo et al (2019) in Bakassi Peninsular and Etim Ekpo in South Southern, Nigeria.…”

“…These studies also reported lower seropositivity in ages 0-18 and higher prevalence in 19-37. Owowo et al (2019) reported the greatest prevalence among less than 10 years of age group in Bakassi Peninsular and Etim Ekpo in South Southern, Nigeria. Akhimienho et al (2021) reported a higher prevalence in the age group 12-17 years in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.…”

“…This result also contradicts findings from studies conducted in Port Harcourt byOkonko and Barine (2023),Okosigha (2014),Okonko et al (2016), andOkoroiwu et al (2022) in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria and Kooffreh-Ada et al (2019) in Calabar, Nigeria, which demonstrated that H. pylori infection is rather common between the ages of 40 and 60. These studies also reported lower seropositivity in ages 0-18 and higher prevalence in 19-37 Owowo et al (2019). reported the greatest prevalence among less than 10 years of age group in Bakassi Peninsular and Etim Ekpo in South Southern, Nigeria Akhimienho et al (2021).…”