Dietary and hygiene habits associated with the Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence in Peruvian university students

Abstract

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori infection is becoming more frequent in the young population of Peru and at the same time increases the risk of gastric neoplasms. Objective: to identify the dietary and higiene habits associated with the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in university students at the Cajamarca Department. Assesed period from September throughout October 2019. Method: an observational, cross-sectional, prospective study with a non-experimental design was carried out. A population of 367 students on Medical technology career were involved and 188 of them, in both sex, were selected as trial. It was detected, using the immunochromatography method in serum assay, IgG antibodies against Helicobacter pylori. Dietary and hygiene habits were collected using a well-structed enquiry. Results: it was identified IgG antibodies against Helicobacter pylori infection in 51.1% of students. The 31.38% of those who, not frequently, had consumed food prepared outdoors were seropositive for Helicobacter pylori. Those students who revealed wash their hands, not frequently (29.79%) and frequently (21.28%) before eating, produced antibodies against this bacterial infection. In addition, Helicobacter pylori seropositive students washed their fruits and vegetables with obtained water from the tap (43.62%) and consumed untreated water fom the tap too (29.79%). Conclusions: food intake outdoors, wash of hands, fruits and vegetables before eating, and the quality of water to be consumption are dietary and hygiene habits associated with the Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence.

Keywords

• helicobacter pylori
• estudios seroepidemiológicos
• inmunocromatografía
• estudiantes