[Helicobacter pylori infections in various groups of patients at a general hospital and in blood donors].

Incidence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in inpatients of a general hospital and donors was evaluated immunologically: the serum was examined for IgG antibodies to HP using enzyme immunoassay. Of 354 examinees 89 had duodenal ulcer (DU), 101 were healthy donors. HP infection was found prevalent in all the groups of the inpatients. Cases of HP were more numerous in the gastroenterological department as compared to other departments (81.6% against 39.6%, respectively). Among patients of the gastroenterological department DU patients were most frequent HP carriers (93.2%), this being indicative of a close correlation between DU and HP revealed previously by other diagnostic methods. Rare occurrence of HP in normal subjects (6-11%) reported by many authors was not confirmed, as HP was detected in 33% of the donors. Age-related analysis points to early onset of HP infection (25-26% incidence in 18-20-year-olds), its peak in middle-aged and presenile patients (78-80% in 50-69-year-olds) and lower occurrence in senile patients (25% at the age over 70).