Correlates of infection with Helicobacter pylori positive and negative cytotoxin-associated gene A phenotypes among Arab and Jewish residents of Jerusalem

K. Muhsen, R. Sinnereich, G. Beer-Davidson, H. Nassar, W. Abu Ahmed, D. Cohen, J. D. Kark

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We examined the prevalence and correlates of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection according to cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) phenotype, a main virulence antigen, among the ethnically diverse population groups of Jerusalem. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Arab (N = 959) and Jewish (N = 692) adults, randomly selected from Israel's national population registry in age-sex and population strata. Sera were tested for H. pylori immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Positive samples were tested for virulence IgG antibodies to recombinant CagA protein, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multinomial regression models were fitted to examine associations of sociodemographic factors with H. pylori phenotypes. H. pylori IgG antibody sero-prevalence was 83.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 80.0%-85.5%) and 61.4% (95% CI 57.7%-65.0%) among Arabs and Jews, respectively. Among H. pylori positives, the respective CagA IgG antibody sero-positivity was 42.3% (95% CI 38.9%-45.8%) and 32.5% (95% CI 28.2%-37.1%). Among Jews, being born in the Former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa, vs. Israel and the Americas, was positively associated with CagA sero-positivity. In both populations, sibship size was positively associated with both CagA positive and negative phenotypes; and education was inversely associated. In conclusion, CagA positive and negative infection had similar correlates, suggesting shared sources of these two H. pylori phenotypes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e276
JournalEpidemiology and Infection
Volume147
DOIs
StatePublished - 25 Sep 2019

Keywords

  • Epidemiology
  • Helicobacter pylori
  • cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA)
  • public health
  • serology

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

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