Frequency of Helicobacter pylori Infection among Hostelite Students, Peshawar, Pakistan

الملخص

Background: Gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori remains one of the most prevalent bacterial conditions worldwide, with particular burden in developing nations. Young adults living in communal settings are considered especially susceptible, yet data targeting hostelite university students in Pakistan are scarce.

Objective: This study sought to determine the prevalence of H. pylori seropositivity among hostelite undergraduates of NCS University System, Peshawar, and to explore the behavioural and environmental factors associated with infection.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed from February to July 2019 across three university hostels (two male, one female). Using convenient sampling, 152 students who had resided in the hostel for a minimum of three months were enrolled. Blood specimens were analysed by Immunochromatography Technique (ICT), and a structured questionnaire captured socio-demographic and lifestyle information. Data were processed in SPSS v.25.

Results: Of 152 participants (mean age 21.28 years; 127 male, 25 female), 59 (38.8%) were seropositive for H. pylori. Male students exhibited higher seropositivity (41%) than females (28%). Ex-smokers recorded the highest positivity rate of any smoking category (50%), while habitual tea consumers showed considerably greater infection frequency (41%) than non-drinkers (15.3%). Nearly all participants relied on unfiltered tube-well water, among whom seropositivity stood at 39.3%.

Conclusion: Approximately two in five hostelite students at NCS University System are infected with H. pylori. Unfiltered water, smoking history, and habitual tea consumption emerged as the most notable risk correlates. Targeted interventions addressing water quality, tobacco use, and health literacy within hostelite environments are strongly warranted.