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The Helicobacter pylori reinfection seems to be higher in developing countries, than in developed ones.
Dr Fernando Silva and colleagues from Brazil determined the annual recurrence rate of H. pylori, in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer disease, in a 5-year follow-up.
The team assessed patients with peptic ulcer disease diagnosed by upper digestive endoscopy.
The researchers examined H. pylori infection verified by histological analysis, rapid urease test, polymerase chain reaction, and urea breath test, were treated for bacterial eradication.
The cure of the infection was verified using the same tests, 3 months after.
Clinical evaluation and urea breath test were performed after 6th and 9th month.
After 1 year of follow-up, urea breath test and upper digestive endoscopy were repeated.
Up to the 5th year, patients were assessed twice a year and an urea breath test was performed annually.
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| The annual reinfection rate was 2% |
| Helicobacter |
The patients tested all the reinfected for 15 different genes of the H. pylori.
The researchers found 147 patients were followed, 19 for 1 year, 8 for 2 years, 4 for 3 years, 5 for 4 years, and 98 for 5 years, totaling 557 patients/years.
Recurrence did not occur in the first year.
In the 2nd year, 2 patients were reinfected.
The researchers found that in the 3rd year, 4 patients were reinfected, in the 4th, 3 patients, and in the 5th there was 1 patient reinfected.
The total of reinfected patients was 10.
The research team observed that the annual reinfection rate was 2%.
Dr Silva's team concluded, “Brazil presents a low prevalence of H. pylori reinfection, similar to the developed countries.”
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