H. Pylori Infection: A Silent Epidemic that Affects Disadvantaged Populations in Haiti

Résumé

Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is the main cause of chronic gastritis and the principal etiological agent for gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease. Its prevalence is generally related to socioeconomic status and levels of hygiene. In Cornillon, a commune in Haiti, a large number of patients with gastrointestinal complaints reinforced our commitment to look for the correlation with HP infection in Haiti. This is a qualitative and quantitative observational study that gathered data from 109 patients who went to Sainte Thérèse Hospital in Miragoâne, Georges Gauvin Hospital in Grand-Goâve, and the Health Center of Cornillon Grand Bois for gastrointestinal complaints from April to July 2019. The seroprevalence of the HP infection was 87.2% and the sex ratio of patients M/F was 0.45. We found that 88.5% (n=96) of all patients were from the lower social class and disadvantaged communities in rural areas. The majority of infected patients were street traders, farmers, students and jobless individuals. 42.2% (n=46) of all participants were street traders and 91.3% of the street traders had a positive HP result. The HP infection itself is not fatal, but its resulting complications are for those who live in the Global South (lower income countries) with a lack of adequate primary care. The high burden of gastric cancer in Haiti is likely one of the consequences of the high prevalence of HP infection.