A number of Helicobacter species may confound experimental data because of their association with disease progressing in various kinds of laboratory animals. Screening of Helicobacter species is particularly desirable, because they are prevalent in commercial and research animal facilities. The aim of the present study was to compare three diagnostic methods [e.g. Helicobacter stool antigen kit (HpSA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid urease test (RUT)] for the identification of Helicobacter spp. in stools or gastric biopsy specimens collected from eight dogs suffering from gastritis. The gastroscopic biopsy specimens were tested using RUT and PCR, while stool specimens were evaluated using both HpSA and PCR. DNAs from the gastric biopsies and stool specimens were analyzed by both a consensus PCR that amplified the RNA polymerase beta-subunit-coding gene (rpoB) of Helicobacter spp. and a species-specific PCR to amplify the urease B gene of Helicobacter heilmannii, Helicobacter pylori, and Helicobacter felis. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 62.5% of the dogs, while H. heilmannii and H. felis were identified in 37.5 and 25% of the dogs, respectively. The HpSA did not efficiently detect Helicobacter spp. in the stool samples compared to the RUT and PCR assays, both of which successfully detected Helicobacter spp. in the two sample types. Finally, we recommend that consensus PCR with stool specimens could be used before the species-specific PCR for identifying Helicobacter species in laboratory dogs.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory ; Biopsy ; Cats ; Consensus ; DNA ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; Dogs* ; Felis ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter felis ; Helicobacter heilmannii ; Helicobacter pylori ; Helicobacter* ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urease

The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinicopathologic features of Helicobacter heilmannii-associated gastritis and to compare H. heilmannii-associated gastritis with H. pylori-associated gastritis. We reviewed 5,985 consecutive gastric biopsy specimens. All cases of chronic gastritis with Helicobacter infection were evaluated with the Updated Sydney System, and the grades of all gastritis variables were compared between H. heilmannii-associated gastritis and H. pylori-associated gastritis groups. There were 10 cases of H. heilmannii-associated gastritis (0.17%) and 3,285 cases of H. pylori-associated gastritis (54.9%). The organisms were superficially located within the mucous layer without adhesion to epithelial cells. Interestingly, in one case many intracytoplasmic H. heilmannii organisms were observed in parietal cells with cell damage. A case of low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma concomitant with H. heilmannii infection was detected. Compared to H. pylori-associated gastritis, H. heilmannii-associated gastritis showed less severe neutrophilic activity (p<0.0001), mononuclear cell infiltration (p=0.0029), and endoscopic findings of chronic gastritis devoid of erosion or ulcer (p=0.0309). In conclusion, we present the detailed clinicopathologic findings of H. heilmanniiassociated gastritis compared to H. pylori-associated gastritis. H. heilmannii-associated gastritis is uncommon and milder than H. pylori-associated gastritis, however it may be noteworthy with respect to the development of MALT lymphoma.
Stomach Neoplasms/etiology/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Lymphoma, Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue/etiology/pathology ; Humans ; *Helicobacter pylori ; *Helicobacter heilmannii ; Helicobacter Infections/*pathology ; Gastritis/*pathology ; Female ; Adult

Autoimmune Diseases ; pathology ; Biopsy ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; pathology ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; virology ; Gastritis ; pathology ; virology ; Helicobacter Infections ; pathology ; Helicobacter heilmannii ; isolation & purification ; Helicobacter pylori ; isolation & purification ; Humans

Helicobacter heilmannii is a Gram negative, long spiral-shaped organism associated with zoonotic infections acquired from primates including cats and dogs. Infection with H. heilmannii leads to gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. We experienced a 54-year-old man with dyspepsia who was diagnosed with primary gastric MALT lymphoma (stage IE1) associated with a H. heilmannii-like organism. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed only microvascular dilatation and mucosal granularity without elevated or ulcerative lesions at the stomach angle. He was probably infected by a pet dog. The man was treated with eradication therapy for 2 weeks including lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin. Four weeks after eradication of the H. heilmannii-like organism, follow-up endoscopy and pathological biopsy findings showed complete remission of the gastric MALT lymphoma.
2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles ; Adenocarcinoma ; Amoxicillin ; Animals ; Biopsy ; Cats ; Clarithromycin ; Dilatation ; Dogs ; Dyspepsia ; Endoscopy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastritis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter heilmannii ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Middle Aged ; Peptic Ulcer ; Primates ; Stomach ; Stomach Diseases ; Ulcer