An inverse and independent association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the incidence of shigellosis and other diarrheal diseases.

Objectives:  We examined the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the incidence of diarrheal diseases.

Methods:  In a nested case-control study participants were sampled from cohorts of male Israeli soldiers aged 18-21 years, serving in field units and followed up for diarrheal diseases. Case patients (n = 177) were subjects who visited the base clinic because diarrhea and were positive for Shigella sonnei (n = 66), enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) (n = 31) or negative for bacterial pathogens (n = 80; diarrhea of unknown etiology).