In this regard, given that the proportion of Hp-negative ulcers would be only 5% in a country with a 65% background prevalence of the infection [18], our findings indicating background prevalence of Hp infection to be 61.4% seem to be consistent with Hp positivity of 84.9% as well as non- Hp non-NSAID/ASA ulcers in 5.9% of our DU patients. Here, HP is linked to infection.