Detection of Helicobacter pylori Antigen among Displaced Children in Port Sudan City Camps, Red Sea State Sudan

Alameldin Dafaalla Mohamed¹, Ali Elsawi Elsafi¹, Esraa Abdelgader Mohammed¹, Fatima Abdul Malik Fadlallah¹, Lugman Ali Suliman¹, Marwa Abd Alrahim Ahmed¹, Moram Mustafa Mudawi¹, Hadia Babiker Abdelbasit¹, Leila Mohamed A. Abdelgader², Ghanem Mohammed Mahjaf², Mosab Nouraldein Mohammed Hamad³*

1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Al-Fajr College for Sciences & Technology, Sudan.

2Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Shendi University, Shendi, Sudan.

3Assistant professor, Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Elsheikh Abdallah Elbadri University, Sudan.

*Corresponding author: Mosab Nouraldein Mohammed Hamad

Assistant professor, Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Elsheikh Abdallah Elbadri University, Sudan

Corresponding Email: musab.noor13@gmail.com

mosad@eaeu.edu.sd

Abstract:

Background: The infection by Helicobacter pylori (HP), a gram-negative bacillus, is more prevalent in developing countries, and more often among younger people, reaching up to 10% of the population compared to only 0.5% in the more developed world. Generally, HP is asymptomatic in children. Objectives: This study aimed to detect H. pylori antigen among displaced children in Port Sudan city camps in 2024. Methods: The study was descriptive, and between April and June 2024, fifty symptomatic and asymptomatic displaced children aged between 5 and 15 years old in camps in Port Sudan City were screened for H. pylori antigen in the fecal specimens. An immunochromatographic test (ICT) was used for the screening tests. Information about the participant’s demographics and clinical status was obtained from each participant using a written questionnaire, and a suitable amount of stool specimens was collected. Results: In our study, the total number of participants was 50 symptomatic and asymptomatic children; 58% (29/50) were boys and 42% (21/50) were girls; the prevalence of H. pylori was 46% (23/50); the age group and year were (5_8), (9_12), (13_15); and the percentage of infected participants were 47.8% (11/23), 26.1% (6/23), and 26.1% (6/23) respectively. The percentage of infected symptomatic participants was 47.8% (11/23) and that of asymptomatic participants was 52.2% (12/23). No significant association was found between genders, age group, clinical status, and H. pylori infection; P values were (0.340), (0.359), and (0.057), respectively. Conclusion: In our study, we found a high prevalence of H. pylori (46%) among displaced children in camps in Port Sudan City. This high prevalence may be due to overcrowding in camps, poor hygiene, a lack of clean water sources, and the consumption of contaminated food.

Keywords:Helicobacter pylori, Organism, Displaced Children, Antigen, Socio-economic.