Assessment Of Helicobacter Pylori Serology In Relation To Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and Helicobacter pylori infection are major global health concerns, particularly in developing countries where infectious diseases continue to impose a significant burden on public health systems. Both infections are associated with considerable morbidity and may adversely affect the health status of infected individuals. In recent years, coinfection has emerged as an important subject of clinical and epidemiological interest because the coexistence of multiple infectious agents in the same host may influence disease progression, immune response, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes. The present study was conducted to assess the serological prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in patients infected with HCV and to compare its frequency with that in non-HCV individuals. A total of 80 participants were included in this study, comprising 40 HCV-positive patients and 40 non-HCV individuals who served as controls. Blood samples were collected from all participants and screened for anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies using immunochromatographic test (ICT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The collected data were analyzed to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in both study groups and to evaluate its distribution according to gender. The findings revealed that 50% (20/40) of HCV-positive individuals were positive for Helicobacter pylori antibodies, whereas only 25% (10/40) of individuals in the non-HCV control group were found positive. This difference indicates a higher seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori among patients with HCV infection. Gender-wise analysis showed that in the HCV-positive group, 43.33% (13/30) of males and 70% (7/10) of females were positive for Helicobacter pylori. In the non-HCV group, 15% (3/20) of males and 35% (7/20) of females were positive. These results demonstrate that Helicobacter pylori infection was more frequent in HCV-infected individuals than in healthy controls, while female participants showed relatively higher seropositivity than males in both groups. The study indicates a significant association between Helicobacter pylori infection and HCV infection. The higher prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among HCV-positive individuals suggests that coinfection may have important clinical implications in the diagnosis and management of affected patients. Routine screening of Helicobacter pylori in HCV-infected patients may therefore be beneficial for better clinical evaluation and proper management of coinfections. Further large-scale studies are needed to explore the underlying biological relationship and clinical significance of Helicobacter pylori and HCV coinfection.