Helicobacter pylori Infection in General Dentist and Dental Assistants: A Pilot Serological Study in Kerman

Background and Aim:  Dental plaque and saliva have been considered as major reservoirs for Helicobacter pylori )Hp(.  Dentists and their assistants are frequently exposed to saliva and dental plaque hence theoretically they are at risk for Hp infection. The aim of the present investigation was to compare the frequency of this microorganism between the general dentists and dental assistants with the normal control group. Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study using convenience sampling, we collected blood sample from three groups including: dentists, dental assistants and controls to test for serum anti-Hp IgG using ELFA )Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay(.The sample size was determined to be 50 subjects. SPSS software Version 21 , Mann-Whitney and Linear regression backward tests were used for data analysis Results: Out of 52 subjects participated in this study , there were 15 general dentists, 17 dental assistants and 20 subjects as a control group. The overall prevalence of Hp infection was 70.58% in dental assistants, 45% in control group and 33.33% in dentists. There was an increased occurrence of Hp infection in dental assistants although there was not a significant difference between three groups (P=0.157). The regression anlayis was present the higher level of antibodies for assitans v.s dentists. (p<0.001) Conclusion: Dentists does not seem to have greater risk for being infected by Hp than are controls but dental assistants may be at increased risk of acquiring Hp infection from occupational exposure however this possibility needs to be proved in further investigations.