Elevated risk ofHelicobacter pylori infection in submarine crews

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Abstract
In a prospective study designed to elucidate the route of transmission ofHelicobacter pylori, the seroprevalence and incidence ofHelicobacter pylori infection was determined in the following branches of the armed forces presumed to be at increased risk of acquiring transmissible diseases by the fecal-oral or oral-oral route: German submarine crews (n=64, mean age 26.2 years) and regular officers of the French infantry (n=51, mean age 26.5 years) who had served for a minimum of three years. The submarine crews were compared with air force staff (n=74, mean age 23.7 years), and the French officers with French infantry recruits (n=135, mean age 20.5 years) who started their service at the beginning of the study. The frequency of IgG and IgA antibody responses to the 120, 88, 86 and 82 kDa proteins was determined by the immunoblot method. The frequency of a positive antibody response was strongly dependent on age (pHelicobacter pylori infection. These results strongly suggest person-to-person transmission ofHelicobacter pylori, by either the oral-oral or the fecal-oral route.

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