Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among gastritis and dyspeptic patients in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: Helicobacter (H.) pylori infection remains a major cause of gastritis and dyspepsia globally, with disproportionately high prevalence in developing regions, including parts of Africa where infection rates often exceed 70%. In many of these settings, limited region-specific data on prevalence and antimicrobial resistance hinder effective diagnosis, treatment, and control strategies.

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence, molecular characteristics, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of H. pylori among patients presenting with gastritis and dyspepsia in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 136 symptomatic patients were recruited: 36 dyspeptic individuals undergoing endoscopy and 100 gastritis patients providing stool samples. Specimens (gastric biopsies and stool) were initially screened using rapid urease test (RUT) and stool antigen test (SAT). Positive samples underwent culture for isolation, followed by phenotypic identification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmation with genus- and species-specific primers. Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated via disk diffusion method.

Results: H. pylori prevalence was 66.7% in dyspeptic patients and 48% in gastritis patients. Infection rates were significantly associated with age in both groups (p<0.05), but not with gender. Culture produced 10 presumptive helicobacter isolates; PCR confirmed 6 as helicobacter spp. and 3 as H. pylori. Susceptibility testing showed high resistance to ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, and amoxicillin. All isolates were susceptible to streptomycin, with variable responses to ofloxacin, augmentin (amoxicillin-clavulanate), and septrin (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), suggesting the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains.

Conclusion: The findings reveal a substantial H. pylori burden among symptomatic patients in Jos, coupled with alarming resistance to key eradication antibiotics. These results highlight the urgent need for routine molecular diagnostics and ongoing local surveillance of antimicrobial resistance to inform tailored treatment regimens and enhance clinical outcomes.