Helicobacter Pylori Infection Among Dyspeptic Patients At A Tertiary Hospital In Northern Nigeria

Aim: To determine the prevalence of H. pylori and associated upper gastrointestinal lesions among dyspeptic patients seen at a tertiary health centre in northern Nigeria.Methods: One hundred and ninety two (192) dyspeptic patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the Federal Medical Centre Gombe were retrospectively studied. Gastric mucosal biopsy specimens were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Modified Giemsa stain was employed to demonstrate the presence of H. pylori.Results: Ninety eight (51.9%) of the patients were males while 94 (48.1%) were females. Their ages ranged from 20 to 73 years with a mean of 40.4 (±SD 12.5) years. A total of 148 (77.1%) patients were positive for H. pylori. The most commonly identified lesion was gastritis which was seen in 42.2% of the patients followed by oesophagitis (34.9%) and duodenitis (21.9%), duodenal ulcer (6.3%), gastric ulcer (5.2%) and gastric cancer (3.2%). The frequency of H. pylori was 91.4% among patients with gastritis while it was 85.5%, 83.3% and 100% among patients with duodenitis, duodenal ulcer and gastric cancer respectively.Conclusion: There is a high prevalence rate of H. pylori among dyspeptic patients in northern Nigeria, particularly among those with significant gastrointestinal pathology on endoscopy. It is rational therefore to empirically treat these patients for H. pylori to save cost.