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. 2014 Nov 19;67(1):25.
doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-67-25. eCollection 2014.

A mixed population of Helicobacter pylori, Helicobacter bizzozeronii and "Helicobacter heilmannii" in the gastric mucosa of a domestic cat

Rute Canejo-Teixeira  1 , Manuela Oliveira  1 , Hugo Pissarra  1 , Maria Manuela Manuela E E Niza  1 , Christina L Vilela  1
Affiliations

A mixed population of Helicobacter pylori, Helicobacter bizzozeronii and "Helicobacter heilmannii" in the gastric mucosa of a domestic cat

Rute Canejo-Teixeira et al. Ir Vet J. .

Abstract

Background: The presence of Helicobacter within the gastric mucosa is responsible for producing pathology in many animal species, including man. Since humans have been shown to harbour many of the same bacterial species as domestic carnivores, concern over their zoonotic potential has been growing. Helicobacter pylori, a class 1 carcinogen responsible for cases of gastritis and gastric cancer in humans, produces similar pathology in pet carnivores and is considered an example of anthroponosis. The case here presented refers to a 13 year-old mixed breed spayed female cat seen at necropsy.

Findings: Stomach samples were analysed for the presence of Helicobacter spp. by cytology, histopathology and PCR. Mild mucosal atrophy was observed in the fundus and antrum, while lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates where noted in the lamina propria of the antrum. Helicobacter-like organisms were observed in the corpus and antrum, occupying gastric glands and surface mucosa. It was possible to detect Helicobacter spp., H. pylori, H. heilmannii and H. bizzozeronii in the fundus, corpus and antrum by PCR, while in the antrum PCR samples were positive for H. pylori.

Conclusions: The spayed female under study could represent either a yet un-described population of domestic cats infected with H. pylori or a case of anthroponosis.

Keywords: Feline; Gastritis; Helicobacter; Histopathology; PCR; Zoonosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Spiral bacteria, consistent with Helicobacter spp. found in the stomach (A) in the surface mucosa. 1000x. Giemsa. (B) and brush cytology of the fundus region. 1000x. May-Grünwald-Giemsa. (Original photographs).
Figure 2
Figure 2
PCR reactions. Molecular ladder in lane 1 and 14 (Hyperladder II ™ Bioline); negative controls in lane 2, 5, 8 and 11; positive controls Helicobacter spp. (lane 3 using H. felis ATCC 49179), H. pylori (lane 6), H. heilmannii type 2 (lane 9), H. bizzozeronii (420-bp, lane 12); sample results H. spp (1,200-bp, lane 4), H. pylori (298-bp, lane 7), H. heilmannii (580-bp, lane 10) and H. bizzozeronii (420-bp, lane 13).
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