Epidemiological surveys, antibiotic resistance, and related risk factors of Helicobacter pylori in Quanzhou, China: a cross-sectional study

This study aims to investigate the prevalence and association between characteristics, dietary habits, and other factors associated to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, as well as the resistance of H. pylori to antibiotics and risk factors in Quanzhou. A minimally invasive string test combined with qPCR was used to investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and several factors that were evaluated using a survey. Logistic analyses were performed to estimate the risk factors for the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of H. pylori. The H. pylori prevalence amounted to 52.60%, the clarithromycin and levofloxacin resistance rate of H. pylori were 48.92% and 44.59%, respectively. Logistic analyses showed that takeaway food emerged as a protective factor for H. pylori infection, while the consumption of soy products reduced the risk of clarithromycin resistance. Furthermore, high sugar, spicy food, frequent tea drinking, and hyperlipidemia increased the risk of H. pylori infection. Finally, the frequency of oral hygiene had an impact on levofloxacin resistance. The prevalence and resistance rate of H. pylori was found to be high in Quanzhou. Our results also showed that diet, hygiene, and disease prevention awareness play an importance role in H. pylori prevention and treatment.