Do socio-economic status, marital status and occupation influence the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection?
AIMS: To review the influence of three factors on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection: socio-economic status, marital status and occupation. METHODS: MEDLINE searches were performed using the Medical Subject Headings: Helicobacter pylori and socio-economic status, couples, children, transmission and occupation. All relevant articles were reviewed and scrutinized for further references. CONCLUSIONS: Lower socio-economic status and/or a low level of education are associated with an increase in the prevalence of H. pylori infection. There is no evidence that H. pylori is sexually transmitted and cohabitation among adult individuals is not a risk factor for transmission. A few studies suggest that the presence of (young) children may be required for spread within families. Data on occupational risk of H. pylori infection are sparse. Gastroenterologists and other health care workers may be at increased risk but the data are not conclusive.
