Iron deficiency is estimated to be the most common nutritional deficiency in both developed and underdeveloped nations. Despite a thorough clinical and endoscopic evaluation, large case series have shown that more than one-third of patients do not have a lesion to account for their iron deficiency. Helicobacter pylori infection could account for some of these unexplained cases of iron deficiency. This study was a case control survey. The objective was to investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Blood sampling and a questionnaire survey were performed on 200 anaemic case and 200 control samples. Hemoglobin, ferritin, and immunoglobulin G antibody to H pylori were measured to compare the prevalence of IDA and H pylori infection in the groups. Tow groups was matched with age and sex. The rate of seropositivity in case group was 69.9% and in control group was 47.2% and this difference was significant statistically. (p= 0.001) but odds ratio for seropositivity in anemic group was weak and that's amount was 0.38 with 95% confidence interval 0.22-0.68. The rate of seropositivity hadn't relationship with age. Serum IgG antibodie's levels were found lower in females than males. High levels were most common among persons in 40-49 years group of age. This difference was significant. This case control survey demonstrates a high rate of past or current infection with H. pylori in the patient with anemia. The age when infection is acquired appears to be quite young. Given the relative ease and simplicity of H. pylori treatment and the encouraging results in literature, H. pylori testing and treatment for persons with unexplained IDA appears to be clinically indicated.
