Prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori in Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Gastritis Patients

The prevalence of Hylicobactor pylori was investigated among the patients admitted to Department of Microbiology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. The majority of cases out of a study population of 109 patients were in the age group of 30-39 years. Abdominal pain was the predominant symptom in the acid peptic disease. Antral gastritis was the commonest endoscopic finding observed during the course of the study. Rapid Urease Test was positive in 82.6% of the samples, where 78.9% of the cases were positive within the first 20 minutes. Rapid Urease Test and Giemsa stain results where 1n harmony with each other. RUT showed about 79% sensitivity and 88% specificity. Culturefor H. pylori was positive only 1n 23.9 % of the cases. H. pylori infection was comparatively more 1n nonalcoholic group. Many males among the study population, being alcoholics, were predisposed to H. pylori infection. This contradictory statement could be contributed to inclusion of females in the study and all of them happen to be non-alcoholics.