Indigenous Greenlanders have a higher sero-prevalence of IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori than Danes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the sero-prevalence of IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in Greenlanders and compare with the sero-prevalence in Caucasian Danes. METHODS: 71 randomly recruited indigenous Greenlanders (29 men) with a median age of 39 years (range 22-76), living in the capital, Nuuk, and the town of Ilulissat, and participating in a population survey carried out in 1993-1994. The results were compared with those obtained in a 1983-1984 population survey in Copenhagen County, comprising 2794 Caucasian Danes (1425 men) with a median age of 41 years (range 30-60). Serum IgG antibody levels to H. pylori were determined by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 1995 and categorised as negative, borderline (equivocal), or positive. RESULTS: Greenlanders: 48.3% of men and 45.2% of women had positive serum IgG antibody levels to H. pylori In the entire series, 46.5% had positive IgG antibody levels, 25.4% displayed borderline antibody levels and 28.2% had negative antibody levels. There were no age, or gender differences concerning the prevalences of the three H. pylori IgG antibody subgroups. Danes: 25.6% of men, and of women, had positive IgG antibody levels against H. pylori. In the entire series, 25.6% had positive IgG antibody levels, 19.0% displayed borderline antibody levels and 55.4% had negative antibody levels. There was no gender difference concerning the sero-prevalence of IgG antibodies, but the sero-prevalence increased significantly with age. The prevalence of positive serum IgG antibodies against H. pylori was markedly higher in Greenlanders than in Danes (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Indigenous Greenlanders have a significantly higher infection rate with H. pylori than Danes. The results suggest that Greenlanders become infected with H. pylori early in life.