ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU) with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and digestive diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Saliva samples were collected from 82 patients with RAU and 74 healthy volunteers for Hp detection with PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positivity rates of HP differed significantly between RAU patients and healthy volunteers (43.9% vs 16.2%, P<0.001). In the 82 RAU patients, 22 (26.82%) were identified to have gastritis and peptic ulcer, whereas only 7 out of the 74 healthy volunteers (10.45%) had such digestive diseases, showing significant difference between them (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Hp might in some way associate with RAU, which in turn is associated with an increased incidence of digestive diseases.</p>