Pathogenicity study of helicobacter pylori infection among patients attending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital,Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

The infection caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is strongly associated with the development of gastric diseases. The clinical outcomes caused by H. pylori infection are considered to be associated with a complex combination of host susceptibility, environmental determinants and bacterial characteristics. Infections that involve H. pylori strains characterized by the presence of the virulence factor CagA demonstrate a more adverse clinical prognosis compared to those that involve strains lacking CagA. It is noteworthy that CagA-positive H. pylori significantly elevate the risk for gastric cancer beyond the risk attributable to H. pylori infection in isolation. CagA functions as a bacterial oncoprotein, assuming a pivotal role in the etiology of gastric cancer induced by H. pylori. Our investigation seeks to ascertain the prevalence of anti-CagA antibodies among dyspeptic patients who are undergoing evaluation at the endoscopy unit of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, utilizing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the results indicate a substantial prevalence rate of 32.5% within the study cohort, which exhibits a statistically significant correlation with inadequate sources of potable water and the consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSIDS).

Key: H. pylori, CagA, NSIDS, ELISA