Seroprevalence, correlates and trends of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Israeli population

We examined the prevalence, correlates and trends of H. pylori infection in Israel using residual sera obtained in 2007-2008 from 1466 Jewish subjects aged 0-77 years and 897 Arabs aged 0-19 years, and in 2000-2001 from 627 Jewish and 575 Arab subjects aged 0-19 years. H. pylori IgG antibodies were measured by ELISA. The age-adjusted H. pylori seroprevalence was 45.2% in Jewish participants. Seropositivity increased with age, reaching 60% at age ≥ 50 years and ranged from 24.3% in subjects originating from North America/Western Europe/Australia, to 63.2% in those from Asia/Africa/South America. Among Arabs, H. pylori seroprevalence was 42.1% and reached 65% in adolescents. There was no significant change in seroprevalence between 2000-2001 and 2007-2008. High prevalence of H. pylori was found in Arabs, and in Jews originating from countries of high H. pylori endemicity. These findings are characteristic of countries of diverse ethnic structure and recent immigration.