A Study on the Association between H. Pylori and Recurrent Aphthous Ulceration using Q-PCR

Background & Objective: Recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) is a common disease with unknown aetiology. We studied the possible involvement of H. pylori in the development of RAU considering that both (RAU and peptic ulcer) are immunologically mediated ulcers and have similar histologic features, and H. pylori is a causative factor in peptic/gastric ulcers. This study aims to measure the prevalence of H. pylori in patients with and without RAU and to determine the association between H. pylori and RAU. Methods: 30 subjects with Aphthous Ulcers and 30 healthy volunteers were included in the present study. The Real-Time Polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) technique was used to detect the presence of H. pylori. Independent t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: In the current study all patient with RAU lesions and without the lesion shows the presence of H. pylori DNA. The mean value for the urea A gene in the case group was 261.37 (SD=85.46) and for the control group, it was 210.15 (SD=113.98). There was a high level of urea A gene in the case group when compared to the control group and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. Conclusion: H. pylori can be present in the normal oral cavity also, and maintains a commensal relationship with the human host because of its presence in both the case (patient with RAU) and control group (intact oral mucosa). Since its level was increased in patients with RAU as compared with normal oral mucosa it suggests that H. pylori may be associated with the pathogenesis of aphthous ulcers.