Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults in the Bahamas.

OBJECTIVES A number of studies have evaluated Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the Caribbean. However to date there is no available epidemiological data on its occurrence in the Bahamas. Therefore, we determined the seroprevalence of H. pylori in a healthy adult population in Nassau, Bahamas. METHODS A prevalence study was conducted using volunteer blood donors to the blood bank at Princess Margaret Hospital, the only public hospital in Nassau, Bahamas. Sera collected were screened using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to H. pylori. RESULTS Two hundred and four persons were screened for H. pylori in this study Prevalence of H. pylori in the study population was 58%. CONCLUSION Helicobacter pylori infection is a common chronic infection in Nassau, Bahamas. Published seroprevalence rates for this infection in other Caribbean territories range from 55% to 70%.