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 De Groote, D.
Right arrow Articles by Haesebrouck, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by De Groote, D.
Right arrow Articles by Haesebrouck, F.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2000, p. 1131-1135, Vol. 38, No. 3
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Detection of "Candidatus Helicobacter suis" in Gastric Samples of Pigs by PCR: Comparison with Other Invasive Diagnostic Techniques

D. De Groote,1,* R. Ducatelle,1 L. J. van Doorn,2 K. Tilmant,1 A. Verschuuren,2 and F. Haesebrouck1

Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium,1 and Delft Diagnostic Laboratory, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands2

Received 19 July 1999/Returned for modification 31 August 1999/Accepted 10 December 1999

Recently, a new 16S ribosomal DNA-based PCR assay was developed for the specific detection of "Candidatus Helicobacter suis" (former "Gastrospirillum suis") in porcine gastric samples. In the present study, this PCR assay was compared to three other invasive diagnostic methods (rapid urease test, immunohistochemistry, histologic analysis by Giemsa staining). Antral stomach samples from 200 slaughterhouse pigs from Belgium and The Netherlands were examined. Bacterial presence was determined in 77% (154 of 200) of the samples by PCR in combination with Southern blot hybridization, 56% (111 of 200) of the samples by immunohistochemistry, 61% (122 of 200) of the samples by urease testing (20 h postinoculation [p.i.]), 36% (71 of 200) of the samples by urease testing (3 h p.i.), and 33% (65 of 200) of the samples by Giemsa staining. The intrinsic specificity of the PCR assay was assessed by Southern blot analysis with an "Candidatus H. suis"-specific probe and sequencing of PCR products. Interassay sensitivity and specificity values were assessed for each test by pairwise comparisons between tests. Agreement between tests was evaluated by calculating Cohen's kappa coefficient. From that analysis, the PCR assay was considered the most reliable benchmark. Microscopic detection of immunohistochemically labeled or Giemsa-stained "Candidatus H. suis" cells in stomach sections proved to be highly specific (100%) but relatively insensitive (72 and 42%, respectively) compared to the PCR assay. A longer incubation time of the urease test improved its sensitivity considerably (74 versus 55%) but was accompanied by a loss of specificity (72 versus 93%). In conclusion, we found the "Candidatus H. suis"-specific PCR assay to be a sensitive and reliable diagnostic method for the detection of "Candidatus H. suis" in the stomachs of pigs and could prove to be a valuable tool for further epidemiological studies both for "Candidatus H. suis"- and for "Helicobacter heilmannii" type 1-related research.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Dept. of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Phone: 32 9 264 77 45. Fax: 32 9 264 77 89. E-mail: dominic.degroote{at}rug.ac.be.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2000, p. 1131-1135, Vol. 38, No. 3
0095-1137/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Haesebrouck, F., Pasmans, F., Flahou, B., Chiers, K., Baele, M., Meyns, T., Decostere, A., Ducatelle, R. (2009). Gastric Helicobacters in Domestic Animals and Nonhuman Primates and Their Significance for Human Health. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22: 202-223 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Baele, M., Decostere, A., Vandamme, P., Ceelen, L., Hellemans, A., Mast, J., Chiers, K., Ducatelle, R., Haesebrouck, F. (2008). Isolation and characterization of Helicobacter suis sp. nov. from pig stomachs. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 58: 1350-1358 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hellemans, A., Chiers, K., Maes, D., De Bock, M., Decostere, A., Haesebrouck, F., Ducatelle, R. (2007). Prevalence of 'Candidatus Helicobacter suis' in pigs of different ages. Vet Rec. 161: 189-192 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Krakowka, S., Ellis, J. (2006). Reproduction of Severe Gastroesophageal Ulcers (GEU) in Gnotobiotic Swine Infected with Porcine Helicobacter pylori-like Bacteria.. Vet Pathol 43: 956-962 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hellemans, A., Decostere, A., Haesebrouck, F., Ducatelle, R. (2005). Evaluation of Antibiotic Treatment against "Candidatus Helicobacter suis" in a Mouse Model. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 4530-4535 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'Rourke, J. L., Solnick, J. V., Neilan, B. A., Seidel, K., Hayter, R., Hansen, L. M., Lee, A. (2004). Description of 'Candidatus Helicobacter heilmannii' based on DNA sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and urease genes. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54: 2203-2211 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fittipaldi, N., Broes, A., Harel, J., Kobisch, M., Gottschalk, M. (2003). Evaluation and Field Validation of PCR Tests for Detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in Subclinically Infected Pigs. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 5085-5093 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Harper, C. G., Feng, Y., Xu, S., Taylor, N. S., Kinsel, M., Dewhirst, F. E., Paster, B. J., Greenwell, M., Levine, G., Rogers, A., Fox, J. G. (2002). Helicobacter cetorum sp. nov., a Urease-Positive Helicobacter Species Isolated from Dolphins and Whales. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40: 4536-4543 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Harper, C. M. G., Xu, S., Feng, Y., Dunn, J. L., Taylor, N. S., Dewhirst, F. E., Fox, J. G. (2002). Identification of Novel Helicobacter spp. from a Beluga Whale. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 2040-2043 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Poutahidis, T., Tsangaris, T., Kanakoudis, G., Vlemmas, I., Iliadis, N., Sofianou, D. (2001). Helicobacter pylori-induced Gastritis in Experimentally Infected Conventional Piglets. Vet Pathol 38: 667-678 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Choi, Y. K., Han, J. H., Joo, H. S. (2001). Identification of Novel Helicobacter Species in Pig Stomachs by PCR and Partial Sequencing. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 3311-3315 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»