AccScience Publishing / MI / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/mi.3078
REVIEW

Helicobacter pylori: A Cause of peptic ulcer disease among Adolescent Girls in Africa

Komal Zulfiqar1 Maria Qadri2 Sulafa Rasheed Ahmed Ali3 Malik Olatunde Oduoye4*
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1 Department of Medicine, MBBS, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
2 Department of Medicine, MBBS, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
3 Department of Microbiology, Elfarabi College for Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan
4 Department of Research, The Medical Research Circle, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
Submitted: 4 March 2024 | Accepted: 16 July 2024 | Published: 15 October 2024
© 2024 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a major global health concern that often results in hospitalization due to insufficient protective factors in the mucosa. Helicobacter pylori contributes to PUD development, causing symptoms such as epigastric pain, bloating, fullness, and nausea. An extensive literature search was conducted using electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar to identify articles published between 2013 and 2024. Relevant cross-sectional studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, literature reviews, and case reports were included in the analysis, whereas editorials, perspectives, and commentaries were excluded from the study. Overall, 20% of teenagers and 45% of individuals aged >45 years were infected with H. pylori, indicating that transmission can occur at any age during childhood and adolescence. Moreover, 8.4% of adolescents aged 10 – 19 years and 64.6% of those aged <18 years tested positive for H. pylori. This bacterium can spread through familial transmission and exposure to oral or fecal matter. Large households and bedroom sharing were associated with H. pylori infection, and adolescents from rural areas showed a higher infection rate than those from urban areas. Improving personal hygiene and implementing educational initiatives within families are key to curbing the spread of H. pylori infection in Africa. Prioritizing hygiene and social improvements in national and subnational strategies can considerably reduce infection rates. Adopting a whole family-based approach and allocating funds for relevant projects can benefit families and children across the continent. Moreover, prompt implementation of interventions to combat H. pylori infection among African adolescents is essential. Promoting cleanliness and raising awareness are key strategies to ensure long-term health among the African youth.

Keywords
Peptic ulcer disease
Helicobacter pylori
Adolescent girls
Africa
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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