Are recurrent oral aphthous ulcers of viral etiology?

The etiology of recurrent oral aphthous ulcers (RAU) remains unsolved. The present article relates previous immunopathologic findings in RAU to a possible viral etiopathogenesis with special reference to the herpes virus family. It is concluded that RAU might be of viral etiology, and it is furthermore speculated that the aphthous ulcers may be the clinical manifestation of 'latent' varicella-zoster virus reactivation (reinfection).