Detection of Helicobacter pylori infection by 14C urea breath test in asymptomatic adults: A pilot study in Kanbauk village tract

As Helicobacter pylori infection is highly prevalent estimated to be affecting more than 50% of the world's populations and implicated in the pathogenesis of several gastric diseases including gastric cancer, early detection of infection even before symptoms appears to be one of the most important strategies in management. This study was aimed to detect infection by ¹⁴C urea breath test and to describe the risk factors in asymptomatic adults at Kanbauk village-tract, located in Southern Myanmar. It was a community-based, cross-sectional prevalence study conducted between 4 and 9 October 2019. After thorough history taking, physical examination, obtaining informed consent, and fasting for 5 h, H pylori infection was detected by ¹⁴C urea breath testing. Among 149 volunteers, infection was detected in 68.46% of the study population. The prevalence of H pylori infection in male patients was 66.7% and in female patients was 75%. There was no statistically significant association between H pylori infection and gender (P = 0.36). The mean age of H pylori infected patients was 37.4 years (SD ± 9.14) and it did not differ significantly (P = 0.421). Subjects who never attended government school were found out to have a significant association with H pylori infection (P = 0.006). Other factors such as family income, household numbers, smoking, betel chewing habit, alcohol consumption, BMI and blood groups were found to be no significant risk factors for H pylori infection. The prevalence of H pylori in Kanbauk village tract was comparable to two different community studies conducted in Myanmar.