Seroprevalence and associated factors of Helicobacter pylori infection among young adults in the West Bank, Palestine.

Nour Aljouda, Aya Amer, Ameera Dawoud, Farah Lahlabat, Zahra Qadah, Tala Amleh, Zaher Nazzal, Mohammad Qadi

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Antimicrobial and Synergistic Activity of Metformin AgainstThe Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale · 2026
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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nour AljoudaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Basic Clinical Skills, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine.

Aya AmerDepartment of Applied and Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine.

Ameera DawoudDepartment of Applied and Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine.

Farah LahlabatDepartment of Applied and Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine.

Zahra QadahDepartment of Applied and Allied Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine.

Tala AmlehDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 4439, State of Palestine.

Zaher NazzalDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, 4439, State of Palestine.

Mohammad QadiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Basic Clinical Skills, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, State of Palestine. m.qadi@najah.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Affecting an estimated 4.4 billion people globally, Helicobacter pylori is a major human pathogen and the leading cause of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of H. pylori and its associated factors among young adults in Palestine. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving a total of 415 university students. Data was collected from the recruited participants using a validated self-administered questionnaire and through serological testing for anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies via an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The overall seroprevalence of H. pylori was 51.1% (95%CI: 46.2-56.0%). Although univariate analysis revealed significant associations between seropositivity and self-reported stomachache (P = 0.006) and weight loss (P = 0.030), a subsequent multivariate logistic regression model identified two independent associated factors. The analysis showed that infrequent handwashing before meals was significantly associated with a higher risk of infection (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7; P = 0.047), as was the habit of eating unpeeled fruits (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.4; P = 0.031). These findings indicate a high seroprevalence of H. pylori among young adult in Palestine and underscore the critical role of personal hygiene and food safety in its transmission. This study provides a foundation for developing targeted public health interventions to reduce the burden of H. pylori infection within this community and beyond.

Indexed as

Helicobacter InfectionsHelicobacter pyloriAdolescentAdultAntibodies, BacterialCross-Sectional StudiesEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFemaleHumansImmunoglobulin GMaleMiddle EastRisk FactorsSeroepidemiologic StudiesSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAntibodies, BacterialImmunoglobulin GH. pylori seroprevalenceIndependent risk factorsPalestinePersonal hygiene and food safetyPoor hand hygienePublic healthUnpeeled fruitsYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID41390361

DOI10.1186/s12879-025-12336-w

PMCPMC12870270

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.