Background
This study evaluated the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk factors associated with H. pylori transmission among spouses.
Methods
We assessed the spousal concurrence of H. pylori infection using the Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test under gastro-endoscopy in 132 couples. Based on the CLO test results, participants were categorized into H. pylori concurrent and independent groups. The chi-square test and Student t-test were performed for demographic comparisons between the concurrent and independent H. pylori groups. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with concurrent H. pylori infection.
Results
The study revealed that the concurrence rate of H. pylori infection was 42.4% in married Korean couples. The odds ratio (OR) derived from the concurrence of H. pylori infection tended to decrease in older couples (OR, 0.975; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.949–1.002; P=0.072). Gastric erosion was also associated with a decreased OR for concurrent infection (OR, 0.488; 95% CI, 0.295–0.808; P=0.005). Conversely, active duodenal ulcers were associated with an increased OR for concurrent infections (OR, 6.501; 95% CI, 1.267–33.346; P=0.025). Duodenal ulcer scars tended to increase the OR of concurrent infections (OR, 1.392; 95% CI, 0.815–2.380; P=0.226).
Conclusion
Spousal transmission and concurrence of H. pylori infection were negatively associated with gastric erosion; however, they were positively associated with active duodenal ulcers. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these findings.

Citations

• Examining of Predictive Factors for Developing Gastroduodenal Ulcer among Patients Attending Gastrointestinal Teaching Hospitals in Baghdad
  Ali Hussein Alek Al-Ganmi, Haider Mohammed Majeed, Ahmed Fleih Hassan
  Journal of Nature and Science of Medicine.2025; 8(2): 146.     CrossRef
• Hookah Smoking and Risk of Helicobacter pylori Infection: Insights From a Case‐Control Study in Iran
  Hadi Eshaghi Sani Kakhaki, Nahid Shahabi, Nooshin Ebrahimi, Ehsan Ramezanian Nik, Farshid Soleimani, Shokrollah Mohseni, Moslem Gholamnezhad, Hanieh Sedeghi, Sara Dadipoor
  Health Science Reports.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef