O Blood Group as a Risk Factor for Helicobacter pylori IgG Seropositivity among Pregnant Sudanese Women

The objective was to investigate the prevalence and the association between blood groups and Helicobacter pylori IgG seropositivity among pregnant Sudanese women. A cross-sectional survey was carried- out at Saad Abul Ela Maternity Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan during the period of July 2014 through December 2015. Questionnaires covering socio-demographic and obstetrics information were administered. Specific H. pylori IgG antibody was analysed using ELISA. One hundred eighty six pregnant women were enrolled. The mean (SD) of the age, parity was 28.3 (2.6) years and 2.6 (3.5), respectively. Of the 186 women, 42 (22.6%), 24 (12.9%), 11(5.9%) and 109 (58.6%) had blood group A, B, AB and O, respectively. H. pylori IgG seropositivity rate was 132/186 (71.0%). There was no significant difference in age and parity between women with H. pylori IgG seropositive and seronegative. Compared with the women with H. pylori IgG seronegative, significantly higher numbers of women with H. pylori IgG seropositive had O blood group, [84/132(63.6) versus 25/54(46.3), P<0.001]. In binary logistic regression, women with O blood group (OR= 2.084, 95% CI=1.060 -4.097, P=0.033) were at a higher H. pylori IgG seropositivity. The current study showed that women with blood group O were at higher risk for H. pylori IgG seropositivity.