%0 Journal Article
%T <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> Seroprevalence among Students: A Case Study of the Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Lubumbashi and the University of Lubumbashi
%A Kamona Charles Kimuni
%A A. Mbaz Ruth Kamb
%A Mukadila Nathalie Mavila
%A Kabengele Arlette Ndaya
%A Mulongo Pauline Kalenga
%A Lusenge Nono Ndete
%A Mwema Guy Numbi
%A Ilunga Eric Kasamba
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 12
%N 12
%P 1-11
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2025
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1114616
%X The WHO lists <em>H. pylori</em> as one of the 20 pathogens that pose the greatest threat to human health due to their antibiotic resistance and classifies it as a Group 1 gastric carcinogen, directly linked to stomach cancer. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of <em>H. pylori infection</em> among students in Lubumbashi and to test the associations between serological results and sex, age, and the presence of gastritis attack. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from March 14, 2024, to July 25, 2025, among 485 students from UNILU and ISTM in Lubumbashi. We included stu-dents with or without gastritis attack and those not receiving any antibiotic therapy, regardless of age or sex. Data were entered into Excel 2016 and pro-cessed using SPSS 23 software. Serological analyses were performed using Accurate¡¯s <em>H. pylori </em>Ab Rapid Test Strip (One Step Dipstick Test), a 50-kit sample. The female sex had a slight predominance over the male sex at 52.99%, representing a sex ratio of 0.887. The subjects¡¯ ages varied between 19 and 45 years, with an average of 25 ¡À 5 years. The prevalence of <em>H. pylori</em> infection was 77.94%, where 15.46% of cases did not have a gastritis attack. None statistically significant association was found between <em>H. pylori </em>test results and sex, Pearson¡¯s chi-squared = 0.024 (p = 0.878) and Fisher¡¯s exact test = 0.913; between <em>H. pylori</em> tests and gastritis attack, Pearson¡¯s chi-squared = 0.344 (p = 0.558) and Fisher¡¯s exact test = 0.587; nor between the positive tests and age, with binary logistic regression (OR = 0.978, [95% CI: 0.943 - 1.015], p = 0.235). Congolese students in general, and those in Lubumbashi in particular, face several constraints during their studies, in-cluding stress, dietary imbalance, self-medication, overcrowding, etc., which are also factors that promote <em>H. pylori</em> infection.
%K Seroprevalence
%K Helicobacter pylori
%K Students
%K Lubumbashi
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/6880240