Twenty-five (71.4%) of 35 cirrhotic patients were infected with Helicobacter pylori (Hp), compared with 21 (65.6%) of 32 patients with gastric or duodenal diseases (P > 0.05). The Hp infection rate in patients with liver lesion was higher than that of patients without liver lesion (79.3% and 33.3%, respectively). Ten (83.3%) of 12 patients with hepatic encephalopathy were infected with Hp, compared with 15 (65.2%) of 23 patients without hepatic encephalopathy. The cirrhotic patients have a high Hp infection rate and those infected are at higher risk for hepatic encephalopathy.