JCM Figure table search 04
Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Neiger, R.
Right arrow Articles by Schmassmann, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Neiger, R.
Right arrow Articles by Schmassmann, A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 1998, p. 634-637, Vol. 36, No. 3
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Detection and Prevalence of Helicobacter Infection in Pet Cats

R. Neiger,1,* C. Dieterich,2 A. Burnens,3 A. Waldvogel,4 I. Corthésy-Theulaz,2 F. Halter,1 B. Lauterburg,5 and A. Schmassmann1

Gastroenterology Unit1 and Institute of Clinical Pharmacology,5 Inselspital, 3010 Bern, Institutes of Veterinary Bacteriology3 and Veterinary Pathology,4 University of Bern, 3012 Bern, and Division of Gastroenterology, CHUV, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne,2 Switzerland

Received 11 July 1997/Returned for modification 15 September 1997/Accepted 11 December 1997

The presence of spiral bacteria in the feline stomach has been recognized for over a century, but the identities and degrees of prevalence of such organisms in privately owned cats are still poorly documented. The aims of this study were (i) to adapt different diagnostic tools and evaluate their practicality for diagnosing feline gastric Helicobacter colonization, (ii) to determine the prevalence of gastric Helicobacter-like organisms in pet cats, (iii) to identify the feline species, and (iv) to correlate the presence of a Helicobacter infection with gastritis. Biopsy samples were taken gastroscopically from the antra and the corpora of clinically healthy pet cats. Helicobacter-like organisms were detected by Gram staining, Warthin-Starry staining, and rapid urease testing in biopsy specimens and by [13C]urea breath testing in 79, 77, 78, and 85% of cases, respectively. PCR analysis revealed that 78% of the cats (38 of 49) were infected by Helicobacter heilmannii; however, none of them was harboring Helicobacter pylori or Helicobacter felis. Culture was positive for one cat; the organism was identified as Helicobacter pametensis by dot blot DNA hybridization. By a combination of the detection methods, 91% of the pet cats were found to be Helicobacter positive. For 46 cats (79%) diagnostic tests were concordant. All cats showed mild to moderate gastritis in either the antrum or the corpus, regardless of the presence or density of gastric bacteria. In summary, pet cats are frequently colonized by H. heilmannii without a significant correlation between infection and degree of gastritis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Gastroenterology Unit, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland. Phone: 41 31 632 27 51. Fax: 41 31 632 97 65. E-mail: rneiger{at}insel.ch.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 1998, p. 634-637, Vol. 36, No. 3
0095-1137/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:



Home Help [Feedback] [For Subscribers] [Archive] [Search] [Contents]
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. Clin. Microbiol. Rev.
Clin. Vaccine Immunol. ALL ASM JOURNALS

Copyright © 1998 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.