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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, November 2000, p. 885-888, Vol. 7, No. 6
1071-412X/00/$04.00+0

High Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in the Alaska Native Population and Association with Low Serum Ferritin Levels in Young Adults

Alan J. Parkinson,1,* Benjamin D. Gold,2,3 Lisa Bulkow,1 Robert B. Wainwright,1 Balasubra Swaminathan,2 Bhawna Khanna,3 Kenneth M. Petersen,1 and Mary Anne Fitzgerald1

Arctic Investigations Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Anchorage, Alaska,1 and Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,2 and Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine,3 Atlanta, Georgia

Received 20 December 1999/Returned for modification 21 March 2000/Accepted 4 August 2000

Iron deficiency anemia is a common public health problem in the Alaska Native population. Yet, a clear etiology has eluded researchers for decades. Previous studies suggested a link between Helicobacter pylori infection, gastrointestinal blood loss due to hemorrhagic gastritis, and generalized iron deficiency anemia in adult Alaska Natives. Therefore, we examined the association between the prevalence of H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and serum ferritin levels, a marker of iron deficiency. A random sample of 2,080 serum samples from Alaska Native residents drawn between 1980 and 1986 from residents in 13 regions was selected, and the samples were stratified by age, sex, and region. Overall, 75% were positive for H. pylori-specific IgG. The rate of H. pylori seropositivity increased with age; by age 14 years, 78% of the residents were positive. There were no gender differences in H. pylori seropositivity. However, marked regional differences were observed. Serum ferritin levels of <12 ng/ml were found most commonly among persons <20 years of age and among women of childbearing age. A significant association between low serum ferritin levels and prevalence of H. pylori-specific IgG was found, particularly for people aged less than 20 years. H. pylori may be a factor contributing to the iron deficiency anemia in the Alaska Native population.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Arctic Investigations Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, 4055 Tudor Centre Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508. Phone: (907) 729-3407. Fax: (907) 729-3429. E-mail: ajp1{at}cdc.gov.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, November 2000, p. 885-888, Vol. 7, No. 6
1071-412X/00/$04.00+0


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