Histo-epidemiological aspect of Helicobacter pylori chronic gastritis in a Moroccan population

Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori ) is the best example of the implication of chronical infection in carcinogenesis. The World Health Organization recognized it as a class I carcinogen since it triggers the progression of premalignant gastric lesions. The aim of this study is to define the prevalence of H. Pylori infection, related risk factors, and explore the histological features of the chronic gastritis. This is a retrospective study of 248 gastric specimens, examinated and evaluated according Sydney to system. The prevalence of H. Pylori is 67 %, chronic gastritis is observed in all the biopsies (100%). Age and gender were not a risk factors for the H. Pylori infection. Prevalence of H. Pylori was 71.93% in low socio-economic class. The severity of the chronic gastritis increases if the colonization of H. Pylori increases. In 74, 58% of cases chronic gastritis was active. Glandular atrophy presented 10.37% and in 80% was related to H. Pylori infection (p=0,004) and 12 % related to autoimmune diseases. The prevalence of Intestinal metaplasia is 10.53%, and H. Pylori was observed in 42.31% of cases (p=0.001). The dysplasia is detected in one case, in a 72 years old patient. We also observed one case of gastric adenocarcinoma, of an 80 years. Follicular gastritis are in 32% of cases, and they were more frequent in H. Pylori infected slides (82% of subjects) (p Chronic Gastritis is very common in our population, and a coherent relationship exists between H. Pylori colonization and pre-cancerous lesions. An early eradicating should be considered as a health goal.