Detection rate of Helicobacter pylori stool antigen in newborn infants and small children

Stray-Pedersen, Arne
Gaustad, Peter
Stray-Pedersen, Babill
Rognum, Torleiv O.

¹Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
²Institute of Microbiology, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet, University of Oslo, Norway
³Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet, University of Oslo, Norway

^*Corresponding author: Dr. Arne Stray-Pedersen Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Oslo N-0027 Oslo Norway, E-mail: [email protected]

Received March 17, 2006. Revised January 29, 2007. Accepted February 1, 2007.

Journal of Perinatal Medicine 35(2):p 155-158, April 2007.

Aims

To investigate the prevalence of H. pylori antigen in the stools of Norwegian neonates and small children.

Methods

A total of 249 children aged 0 days-3 years were tested for the presence of H. pylori antigen in feces using the HpSA immunoassay. For verification purposes, a selection of samples were analyzed with PCR targeting the 16 S rDNA Helicobacter gene.

Results

H. pylori antigen in stool was detected in 52% (36/69) of the neonates, in 15% (7/46) of infants aged 7 days-1 month, and in 5% (7/134) of children aged 1 month-3 years. In neonates, H. pylori antigen detection was significantly associated with mode of delivery: 59% (30/51) with uncomplicated vaginal births were HpSA positive compared to only 10% (1/10) of infants delivered by cesarean section (P = 0.02). Positive PCR results were found in 35% (9/26) of HpSA positive samples. Sequencing of PCR products revealed 97–100% homology with gene sequences from both H. pylori and other Helicobacter species.

Conclusions

The low H. pylori antigen detection rate in children >1 month of age is in accordance with previous prevalence studies from Western countries. The unexpected finding of a high H. pylori antigen detection rate in neonates suggests that transient colonization may occur in the neonatal period.