H pylori： Treatment for the patient only or the whole family

AIM： To compare the effects of treatment of H pyloriinfected individuals with the effects of treatment of individuals as well as all Hpylori-infected family members. METHODS： H pylori-positive patients with similar demographic specifications were prospectively randomized with respect to treatment, with a triple regimen of either patients and all Hpylori-positive family members living together （group Ⅰ ） or patients only （group Ⅱ）. Nine months after treatment, all patients were assessed for H pylori positivity. RESULTS： There were 70 H pylori-positive patients in each group; patients in groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ lived with 175 and 190 Hpylori-positive relatives, respectively. Age, sex and Hpylori positivity rate were similar in both groups of relatives. Nine months after 14 d standard triple therapy, Hpylori positivity was 7.1% in group I patients and 38.6% in group 11 patients [P 〈 0.01, OR = 8.61 95% confidence interval （CI）： 2.91-22.84]. CONCLUSION： The present results indicate bad environmental hygienic conditions and close intra-familial relationships are important in H pylori contamination. These findings indicate all family members of H pyloripositive individuals should be assessed for H pylori positivity, particularly in developing countries where H pylori prevalence is high; they also suggest patients, their spouses and all H pyloN-positive family members of H pylori-positive individuals should be treated for H pylori infection.