Purpose: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the causes of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer and MALT-lymphoma. The frequency of H. pylori infection is different in various regions of the world and dependent on age, socioeconomic and hygiene status. The objective of this study was to assess seroprevalence and the associated socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics influencing H. pylori infection in children and adults in Polish population.Material/methods: In multicenter epidemiological studies, H. pylori infection occurrence was assessed in Poland in the years 2002 and 2003. The seroprevalence of H. pylori infection diagnosis was based on IgG anti-H. pylori antibodies concentration above 24 UI/ml, which was measured using ELISA test. The study included 6565 subjects: 3307 adults (50.37%) and 3258 children (49.63%).Results: Positive result was observed in 3827 subjects (58.29%), i. e. 1043 children (32.01%) and 2784 adults (84.19%). H. pylori infection prevalence was greater in children of poor economic status, who were born in a rural area, lived in crowded houses with no running tap water and with toilet outside the house, and who did not observe hygiene rules. In adults, the factors predisposing to higher probability of being H. pylori infected included: being born in a rural area, having low family income and elementary education, smoking tobacco, drinking high proof alcohols as well as not observing of hygiene rules.Conclusions: Improvement of socioeconomic status, sanitary and hygienic conditions and the education of the society might decrease H. pylori infection prevalence in children and in adults. (C) 2014 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

UNLABELLEDHelicobacter heilmannii (H. heilmannii) infection is a relatively rare causative agent of gastroduodenal diseases in children. However, H. heilmannii frequently colonizes gastric mucosa of animals, mainly cats and dogs, from where it can be transmitted to humans. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of H. heilmannii infection in children with dyspeptic symptoms treated in our clinic. A number of 13,124 esophagogastroduodenoscopies in children aged 4 to 18 years were conducted from 1992 to 2010. The indications for examination were: chronic abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, anaemia, disturbances of intestinal absorption and other. In 11,023 cases microbiologic studies and cultures toward Helicobacter infection were carried out and in 22 children H. heilmannii infection was confirmed. H. heilmannii infection was diagnosed based on morphologic examination in direct microscopy of biopsy specimens from gastric mucosa. In children with H. heilmannii infection clinical symptoms, contact with animals, endoscopic findings of the upper gastrointestinal tract and results of diagnostic tests for Helicobacter pylori infection were assessed. In our studies H. heilmannii infection was diagnosed in 22 children. The rate of H. heilmannii infection was 0.2% in examination of gastric mucosa specimens. No sex-dependent difference in the rates was observed. Most of the children lived in cities and 54.5% had contact with dogs and/or cats. Children complained of chronic epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting and heartburn. Endoscopic studies most often revealed nodular gastritis and gastric or duodenal ulcer in two children. In three children result of the endoscopic study was normal.CONCLUSIONSH. heilmannii infection in children is rare. However, it may be one of the causes of gastroduodenal diseases in children.