Population-based study of Helicobacter pylori infection and antibiotic resistance in Bhutan

•Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of H. pylori infection varied among regions in Bhutan.•Urban areas had higher prevalence of H. pylori infection than rural districts.•High number of metronidazole-resistant H. pylori in Bhutan. Bhutan suffers from a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and gastric cancer-related mortality. In preparation for a countrywide H. pylori eradication program, the antibiotic resistance patterns of H. pylori infection were surveyed in different geographical regions. Dyspeptic patients in 6 districts including Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue, Trongsa, Bumthang, and Haa underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during GASTROCAMP and were enrolled between December 2010 and April 2015. Gastric biopsies were obtained for rapid urease test, histopathology, and H. pylori culture. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was later performed if the culture was positive. A total of 1178 patients were surveyed. The overall H. pylori infection in Bhutan was 66.2%. Punakha had the highest prevalence of H. pylori infection (85.6%). Thimphu and Punakha (city areas) had higher prevalence of H. pylori infection than rural districts (73.5% vs 63.3%, OR=1.61, 95% CI 1.22–2.13, p=0.0008). There were 357 patients (30.3%) with positive H. pylori culture completed antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The mean age was 40.5 years with female predominance (57.1%). No amoxicillin resistant strains were found. Metronidazole resistance was 81% followed by levofloxacin resistance (8.1%). Clarithromycin (2%) and tetracycline (0.6%) resistance was rare except in Thimphu, the capital city (10%) vs 0% in rural areas, p