Arch Intern Med. 1990 Nov; 150(11): 2347-8.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Seventh-Day Adventists and other groups in Maryland. Lack of association with diet.

Hopkins RJ, Russell RG, O'Donnoghue JM, Wasserman SS, Lefkowitz A, Morris JG.

Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201.

To evaluate the possible role of diet in the transmission of Helicobacter pylori, we compared H pylori seroprevalence among Seventh-Day Adventists (who are vegetarian and abstain from alcohol, caffeine, and meat; n = 94) and two non-Seventh-Day Adventist control groups (n = 168). With the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay H pylori antigen prepared in a French pressure cell, we found no difference in seroprevalence among these groups; however, seropositivity strongly correlated with age and black race.