Increasing our knowledge about the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori in Nunavik’s Inuit population (Québec, Canada) using Qanuilirpitaa? 2017 cross-sectional survey

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that may colonise and proliferate in human stomachs, leading invariably to chronic inflammation and, to a lesser extent, to peptic ulcers and cancer. The main objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology surrounding H. pylori in Nunavik’s Inuit populatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International Journal of Circumpolar Health
Main Authors: Julie Ducrocq, Benoit Lévesque, Gaston De Serres, Véronique Boiteau, Cedric P. Yansouni, Jean-François Proulx, Denis Talbot
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024
Subjects:
Nunavik
epidemiology
Canada
Helicobacter pylori
Inuit
prevalence
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Arctic
Circumpolar Health
International Journal of Circumpolar Health
inuit
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2024.2398864
https://doaj.org/article/cdaf88599b8644a482bd1182e079ea72
Description
Summary:Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that may colonise and proliferate in human stomachs, leading invariably to chronic inflammation and, to a lesser extent, to peptic ulcers and cancer. The main objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology surrounding H. pylori in Nunavik’s Inuit population using the 2004 and 2017 Health Surveys. Estimated prevalences were 70.9% for bacterial colonisation using a stool antigens test (SAT), 72.5% for anti-H. pylori antibodies, 12.7% for faecal occult blood in participants aged ≥ 50 and respectively of 28.4%, 11.2% and 2.4% for a prior diagnosis of colonisation, gastritis and peptic ulcer in the medical charts, with under five cases of gastric cancer reported. Variables associated with higher SAT+ prevalence were the number of household members (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.03) and age (quadratic relationship), whereas mainly drinking municipal (PR = 0.84) and natural water (PR = 0.72) compared to bottled water, and increasing alcohol consumption (PR = 0.96) were associated with reduced prevalence. Despite current regional guidelines targeting high risk individuals in the context of high prevalence, Nunavik’s health authorities must remain vigilant by following gastric cancer incidence and the rapid evolution of guidelines, while considering local realities.

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