A prospective study of Helicobacter pylori reinfection rate and related factors in Gyeongju-si residents

Background : High prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in developing countries may result in high reinfection rate after eradication therapy, but there were few studies on H. pylori reinfection, especially in community population. The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year reinfection rate of H. pylori after successful eradication therapy and the factors related to the reinfection of H. pylori in community population. Methods : 86 persons who had been confirmed as H. pylori-negative by -urea breath test were included. They were ones of 181 persons treated by eradication regimen one year ago because of H. pylori-positive in serologic H. pylori antibody test and rapid urease test. The reinfection rate of H. pylori and the factors related to the reinfection of H. pylori were investigated after one-year follow-up. The subjects were confirmed as H. pylori reinfection by repetitive -urea breath test and asked to answer the questionnaire regarding demographic characteristics, dyspepsia symptoms, health-related behaviors and family history. Results : The one-year reinfection rate was 18.6% in this study. The one-year reinfection rate of the subjects who aged above 50 years was 23.4% (p-urea breath test (OR=4.5, p