Highly clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori infection in asymptomatic children from a rural community of Cajamarca-Peru

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori in asymptomatic children in a rural community of Cajamarca (northern Peru). Helicobacter pylori was detected in 17.2% (49/285) of the samples. Unboiled water consumption the most frequent associated factor in patients with positive PCR for H. pylori infection (93.9%). Clarithromycin resistant mutations were found in 79.6% (39/49) of the positive samples for H. pylori. The most frequent mutation was A2142G (46.9%), followed by the double-mutation A2142G–A2143G (28.6%).