Helicobacter pylori infection in children undergoing upper endoscopy in Jamaica

H. pylori infection is usually acquired in childhood in developing countries but the prevalence differs among socioeconomic status of the family during childhood. This study determined the prevalence of H. pylori infection in children undergoing upper endoscopy in Jamaica. There were 24 patients including 13(56%) males and 11(46%) females with a mean age of 8.2 years. They were evenly distributed between middle to upper socio-economic classes. Abdominal pain was the most common presenting symptom. Other symptoms included nausea, vomiting and reflux, 17% had all symptoms. Four (17%) patients had a positive CLO test and all also had H. pylori gastritis on histology. The majority of Jamaican children in the middle to upper socioeconomic groups with upper gastro-intestinal complaints are negative for H. pylori. The present low prevalence may indicate that the prevalence in the Jamaican population is decreasing.