OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) colonization in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal disease.

METHODS173 patients with gastrointestinal disease were grouped according to age, gender, periodontal status and types of gastrointestinal disease. H. pylori were detected from saliva samples of all patients by in vitro cultur. The H. pylori-positive rates in different groups were statistically analysed.

RESULTSThe H. pylori-positive rate in all patients was 40.46% and the difference between male and female showed significant (P<0.05). The H. pylori-positive rate was 56.72% in the age range 45-64, which was significantly higher than two younger age groups (P<0.05). The H. pylori-positive rate in patients with atrophic gastritis was 77.78%, of which the difference was significantly higher than superficial gastritis group and gastric and duodenal ulcer group respectively (P<0.05). The H. pylori-positive rate in healthy periodontia group was 15.38%, while that in periodontitis group was 72.73% (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONH. pylori is a conditional pathogen. The H. pylori-positive rate from saliva is closely related to the types of gastrointestinal disease in patients, and it is correlated with the periodontal diseases as well. These findings suggest that the oral cavity with periodontal diseases is an ecological niche of H. pylori which might be an important cause for occurrence and re-occurrence of gastrointestinal disease.