Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori-specific IgA among blood donors of Rafsanjan city

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is considered to play an etiologic role in several
gastroduodenal diseases. Blood donors are often used as proxies for the general population in
studies of H. pylori epidemiology. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the
seroprevalence of anti-H. Pylori IgA antibodies in blood donors from Rafsanjan city.
Methods and Materials: Serum samples of 180 healthy individuals (93 males; 87 females) aged
1 to 60 (including 138 bood donors of Rafsanjan Blood Transfusion Center and 42 healthy
children) were tested for the presence of IgA antibodies against H. pylori. Anti-H. Pylori
immunoglobulin was detected by used of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The seropositivity
rates determined according to age and gender.
Results: The overall seroprevalence of IgA against H. pylori was 70% (95% CI: 62.74%-
76.6%). The seroprevalece rate was significantly higher in females (78.2%) as compared to males
(62.4%) (P<0.05). Moreover, the seropositivity rate of H. pylori was 45% and 77.5% among
children and blood donors, respectively (P<0.01). The age-specific seropositive rate of anti-H.
pylori antibodies were 43.3% at age 1-10 years, 60% at age 11-20 years, 70% at age 21-30 years,
76.6% at age 31-40 years, 83.3% at age 41-50 years and 86.6% at age 51-60 years with mean titer
of 16.9, 26.6, 30.5, 31.3, 33 and 43.5 Uarb/ml, respectively.
Conclusion: These results show that the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection is widespread
among the blood donors of Rafsanjan city. The H. pylori seropositivity rates and titer of specific
antibody increased with the advancement of age. Moreover, both the seroprevalence and titer of
anti-H. Pylori antibody was higher in adults and females compared to children and males,
respectively.