Arch Dis Child 1997;77:310-314 ( October )

Growth in infancy, infant feeding, childhood living conditions, and Helicobacter pylori infection at age 70

C H D Fall,^a P M Goggin,^d P Hawtin,^b D Fine,^c S Duggleby^a

^a Southampton General Hospital, Southampton: MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, ^b Department of Microbiology, Public Health Laboratory Service, ^c Department of Medicine, ^d Queen Alexandra's Hospital, Portsmouth: Department of Gastroenterology

Correspondence to: Dr Caroline Fall, Epidemiologist, MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD.

Accepted 23 June 1997

AIMTo examine childhood correlates of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults.
DESIGNFollow up study of men and women whose birth weight, weight at age 1 year, and feeding in infancy were recorded by health visitors. Data on childhood housing conditions were obtained by recall.
SUBJECTS631 men and 389 women born in Hertfordshire during 1920-30 and still living in the east or northwest districts of the county.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESSerum H pylori IgG antibodies measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTSIndependent of their current social class, subjects were more likely to be H pylori seropositive if they had large numbers of siblings (p < 0.0001), and if they had lived in a crowded house (p = 0.001), or shared a bedroom or bed in childhood (p = 0.02). Low weight at 1 year was associated with increased seropositivity rates in men (p = 0.0002), but not women (p = 0.8). Men and women who were breast fed in infancy were less likely to be seropositive than those who were bottle fed (p = 0.08).
CONCLUSIONSThe findings support the current view that H pylori infection is often acquired in childhood by close person to person contact, and persists into adult life. H pylori infection may be a cause of failure to thrive in infancy, especially in boys. Alternatively, small infants may be more susceptible to infection. Breast feeding may prevent early infection.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; growth; infant feeding; housing

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© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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