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OJVRTM

 

Online Journal of Veterinary Research©

 

Volume 10 (2) : 177 - 201, 2006


 Clinical significance of Helicobacter infection  in gastric mucosa of cats

 

Akhtardanesh B1, Mohammadi M2, Jamshidi S3, Sassani F3, Bokaie S3

 

1Small animal internal medicine Department, Veterinary faculty, Shahid Bahanar University, Kerman 2Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran. 3Veterinary faculty, Tehran University


ABSTRACT

 

Akhtardanesh B, Mohammadi M, Jamshidi S, Sassani F, Bokaie S, Clinical significance of Helicobacter infection  in gastric mucosa of cats, Online J Vet Res, 10 (2) 177-210, 2006. The presence of spiral bacteria in the feline stomach has been documented but the zoonotic potential, clinical importance and prevalence of these organisms in cats are still poorly documented. The aims of this study were to (1) determine the prevalence of feline gastric helicobacters, (2) study any existing association between Helicobacter infection and occurrence of gastritis, (3) evaluate the efficiency of different diagnostic tools in detection of gastric helicobacters and (4) compare the prevalence of gastric helicobacter infection in pet vs. stray cats. Thirty adult stray and 27 pet cats from different locations were isolated and their gastric samples underwent cytology, rapid urease test, histopathology and genus/species specific PCRs. According to 16srRNA PCR assay, total prevalence of Helicobacter infection was 100% and 56.7% in domestic and stray cats respectively. Cats were frequently colonized by Candidatus H. heilmannii and H. felis with no direct association to existing chronic gastritis or gastric lesions. Infected animals generally demonstrated a local immune response characterized by lymphoid follicular hyperplasia. Interestingly, the rate of Helicobacter infection especially for Candidatus H. heilmannii was significantly higher in pet cats (81%) in comparison with that of the stray group (43.3%) which may indicate that living conditions may play an etiologic role in the prevalence of infection.

 

Key words: Chronic gastritis, H. heilmannii, H. felis, H. pylori, cat


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