Table 3.

Prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in the healthy population of Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office countries

Ref.	Year	Country	Age group	Number	Prevalence	Method of detection	Risk factors
Bani-Hani et al[22]	2006	Jordan	1-9 yr	200	55.5%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Living in rural areas, poor sanitation, overcrowding, low maternal educational level, low socioeconomic status
Naous et al[23]	2007	Lebanon	1 mo-17 yr	414	21.0%	Stool antigen	Low socioeconomic status, overcrowded houses, lower family income and poor parental education
Bakka et al[24]	2002	Libya	1- > 70 yr	360	76.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Low socioeconomic status, low educational level
Mansour et al[25]	2010	Tunisia	Any age	250	64.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	NA
Bener et al[26]	2000	UAE	Any age	223	78.4%	ELISA IgG-Ab	NA
Bener et al[27]	2006	UAE	Any age	151	74.1%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Unavailable drinking water, low educational level, long working duration, BMI > 25, housing conditions
Salem et al[28]	1993	Egypt	< 30 yr	89	87.6%	ELISA IgG-Ab	NA
Mohammad et al[29]	2007	Egypt	6-15 yr	286	72.38%	UBT	Low socioeconomic status, low body weight and height, living in rural areas
Naficy et al[30]	1997	Egypt	< 36 mo	187	10.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Only age (6-17 mo)
Bassily et al[31]	1992	Egypt	17-42 yr	169	88.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Lower level of education
Al Faleh et al[32]	2007	KSA	16-18 yr	1200	47.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Being female
							Residing in Medina region
Hanafi et al[33]	2012	KSA	Any age	456	28.3%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Rural residence, crowded housing, low socioeconomic status, use of tanks for drinking water supply, active smoking, alcohol drinking, eating raw vegetables, eating spicy food, presence of asthmatic/atopic symptoms
Khan et al[34]	2003	KSA	15-50 yr	396	51.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Higher age
Al-Moagel et al[35]	1989	KSA	5-90 yr	364	66.0%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Higher age
Al-knawy et al[36]	1999	KSA	2-97 yr	355	67% Mother	Saliva IgG-Ab	The infection was higher in infants when both parents were positive
					64% Father
					23% Children
Al-Balushi et al[37]	2013	Oman	15-50 yr	133	69.5%	ELISA IgG-Ab	Increasing age
							Being male

ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Ab: Antibody; NA: Not available; UAE: United Arab Emirates; KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; UBT: Urea breath test.