title: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori DNA in recurrent aphthous ulcerations in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues of the pharynx.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of Helicobacter pylori and, if detected, its potential prevalence in causing recurrent aphthous ulcers confined to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues of the pharynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Otolaryngology Department of Tanta University Hospitals, Tanta, Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 146 patients with recurrent multiple aphthous ulcers of the oral cavity and pharynx and 20 normal control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were assigned to group 1 (n = 58), in which the ulcers were strictly limited to the lymphoid tissues, or group 2 (n = 88), in which the ulcers were randomly distributed in the oral cavity and pharynx. Helicobacter pylori DNA was extracted from 3-mm-diameter tissue samples, and polymerase chain reaction amplifications were performed for the 16S ribosomal RNA gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  Positivity for H pylori.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1, 39 patients (67%) were positive for H pylori DNA, while in group 2, 9 patients (10%) were positive (chi(2) test, P<.001). It was not detected in any of the 20 control samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support a possible causative role for H pylori in recurrent aphthous ulcerations with a characteristic distribution and affinity to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues of the pharynx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt. mnel_sheikh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mohamed Nasser
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Elsheikh
authors.forename: Magdy ElSayed
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mahfouz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial