OBJECTIVE: This controlled study was done to determine the protective effects of ischemic preconditioning (IP) on the liver of cats undergoing major liver resection.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of IP on alanine transaminase (ALT or SGPT) in cat*that will undergo major liver resection.
DESIGN: This study is a randomized controlled trial.
SETTING: LIST Health Sciences Research Laboratory.
PATIENTS/ PARTICIPANTS: This is an experimental study on the effects of ischemic preconditioning under hepatic inflow occlusion on the SGPT as a measure of morbidity in Felis catus (domestic cats) undergoing right hepatic lobectomy. Nine male cats, weighing 2.5-5kg, are equally allocated into any one of the following 3 study groups: Control group not subjected to ischemic preconditioning (C), Experimental group subjected to 1 1/2 minutes of ischemia followed by 1.5 minutes of reperfusion (El), Experimental group subjected to 5 minutes of ischemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion (E2).
RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean weight of cats in the 3 groups (p = 1.00). Comparing the pre and post result between using paired t-test, there was no significant difference in the baseline values (p = 0.14). However, there was a significant difference in the post result between the three groups (p < 0.001). The results showed that the mean post values significantly increased from baseline. The same result was noted in the El and E2 group where a significant increase was also noted with p values, 0.005 and 0.004, respectively. Comparing the mean difference in the pre and post values using ANOV A, there was a significant difference noted between the three groups as proven by all p values
CONCLUSION: In the past few years, interesting new data on the presence of ischemic preconditioning in various organs as an endogenous means to protect itself from ischemiahas been available. This study investigated and suggests that ischemic preconditioning may provide protection to the liver undergoing hepatic lobectomy.

Recently, several companies have released H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test kits. However, there is little information about the usefulness of HpSA testing for Helicobacter felis, which is the major Helicobacter species in cats. The aim of the present study was to compare diagnostic methods for diagnosis of H. felis with HpSA tests and PCR assay using cat stools or gastric mucosa. Male cats (n=6) were infected with H. felis ATCC 49179 (1.0 x 10(9) CFU /cat) by intragastric inoculation two times at 3-day intervals, and stool specimens of cats were collected 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days after infection for HpSA testing and H. felis-specific PCR. For the results, sensitivities of the HpSA test and PCR analysis were 50.0% and 83.3% respectively. Cats were sacrificed 21 days after H. felis inoculation, and gastric tissues were homogenized. All gastric biopsy specimens were positive based on a rapid urease test (RUT) (6/6, 100%) and PCR (6/6, 100%). Based on these results, the HpSA kit is useful and effective for monitoring H. felis infection using stool specimens. If an HpSA test could be made with H. felis antibodies in the future, its sensitivity could be increased further. Further, PCR assay could be successfully used to detect H. felis in stools. Application of this HpSA kit and PCR assay can be utilized as a non-invasive strategy to identify H. felis in cats.
Animals ; Antibodies ; Biopsy ; Cats* ; Diagnosis ; Felis ; Gastric Mucosa ; Helicobacter felis* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Male ; Natural Resources ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Urease

In this study we investigated maternal Helicobacter felis (H. felis) infection status to determine the potential of maternal transmission. Pregnant Beagle dogs were infected experimentally with H. felis. Following the experimental design, the stools of the mother and litters were isolated and assessed for transmission of H. felis at parturition day, 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine the presence of transmitted H. felis. All litters showed no transmission of H. felis at parturition day. However, they revealed 14.3% and 100% at 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively by PCR. These results suggested that vertical infection during prenatal period or delivery procedure is unlikely as a route of mother-to-child H. felis infection. It might be acquired H. felis through breast-feeding, contaminating saliva and fecal-oral during co-habitat.
Animals ; Cats ; Dogs ; Felis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter felis ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Postpartum Period ; Research Design ; Saliva

In this study we investigated maternal Helicobacter felis (H. felis) infection status to determine the potential of maternal transmission. Pregnant Beagle dogs were infected experimentally with H. felis. Following the experimental design, the stools of the mother and litters were isolated and assessed for transmission of H. felis at parturition day, 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine the presence of transmitted H. felis. All litters showed no transmission of H. felis at parturition day. However, they revealed 14.3% and 100% at 1-week old age and 6-week old age respectively by PCR. These results suggested that vertical infection during prenatal period or delivery procedure is unlikely as a route of mother-to-child H. felis infection. It might be acquired H. felis through breast-feeding, contaminating saliva and fecal-oral during co-habitat.
Animals ; Cats ; Dogs ; Felis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter felis ; Humans ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Postpartum Period ; Research Design ; Saliva

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic effect of açai berry after chronic Helicobacter felis colonization in the stomachs of C57BL/6 mice. METHODS: A total of 57 four-week-old female C57BL/6 mice (18 control mice and 39 experimental mice) were used. The mice were administered orogastrically with vehicle only or vehicle containing H. felis, 5 times every other day. After inoculation of H. felis, mice were fed either a standard or an açai-containing diet and then sacrificed at 4, 24, and 52 weeks. The infection status and degree of inflammation were determined by culture and histopathology. The level of gastric mucosal myeloperoxidase (MPO), TNF-α, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: At 24 weeks after inoculation, mucosal atrophy and mucous metaplasia appeared in all infected mice. At 52 weeks after inoculation, dysplastic change was noted in 10%, 25%, and 50% of mice in the H. felis-control, H. felis-açai 5%, and H. felis-açai 10% groups, respectively. The neutrophil, monocyte, atrophy, and metaplasia grades of infected mice showed no significant difference among the H. felis-infected groups. H. felis-infected mice fed with açai berry showed no significant difference compared with H. felis-infected control mice in gastric mucosal MPO, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels. CONCLUSIONS: H. felis that colonized the stomachs of C57BL/6 mice provoked inflammation, and induced mucosal atrophy, metaplasia, and dysplasia. However, açai berry did not effectively prohibit the gastric carcinogenesis which was induced by chronic H. felis infection.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Carcinogenesis ; Cats ; Colon ; Diet ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Felis ; Female ; Fruit* ; Helicobacter felis ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Metaplasia ; Mice* ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Peroxidase ; Stomach

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

A 3-month-old male cat in the animal facility was presented for investigation of anorexia and occasional vomiting. We collected the specimens from gastroscopic biopsy and stool collection. The gastroscopic biopsy specimens were tested using a rapid urease test, CLO Helicobacter-detection kits. Stool specimens were gathered and evaluated using the commercially available SD Bioline H. pylori Ag kit according to the manufacturer's instructions. Genomic DNAs from gastroscopic biopsy and stool specimens of the cat were extracted and submitted to the consensus PCR to amplify Helicobacter rpoB gene. Then the DNAs from gastroscopic biopsy and stool specimens were conducted a multiplex species-specific PCR to amplify urease B gene for H. heilmannii, H. pylori and H. felis. As the results, the rapid urease test with gastroscopic biopsy was revealed positive reaction. The result of H. pylori Stool Ag assay was one red line, negative for H. pylori. The gastroscopic biopsy and stool specimen were positive reactions by the consensus PCR reaction using the RNA polymerase beta-subunit-coding gene (rpoB) to detect Helicobacter species. By multiplex species-specific PCR with gastroscopic biopsy and stool specimens, no amplification products corresponding to either H. heilmannii or H. pylori were detected, but the specimens tested were positive for H. felis. This case was confirmed as gastroenteric disease induced by H. felis infection. On our knowledge, this is a very rare report about H. felis-induced gastroenteric disease in cat and may provide a valuable data on the study of feline Helicobacter infection.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory* ; Anorexia ; Biopsy ; Cats* ; Consensus ; DNA ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; Felis ; Helicobacter felis* ; Helicobacter Infections ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Diseases* ; Urease ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) treatment followed by chronic Helicobacter pylori SS1 and H. felis colonization on the stomachs of C57BL/6 mice. The role of MNU and Helicobacter species in gastric carcinogenesis was also elucidated. METHODS: A total of 69 C57BL/6 mice at 4 weeks of age were divided into 6 groups according to MNU treatment and H. pylori SS1 or H. felis infection. The mice were sacrificed at 21 and 50 weeks. The degree of inflammation was determined by histopathology. The levels of gastric mucosal myeloperoxidase, TNF-α, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: In the H. felis groups with or without MNU, the incidence of gastric tumors was 21.1% and 35.0% at 21 and 50 weeks, respectively. No gastric tumors were observed in all control mice. At 50 weeks, 37.5% of gastric adenoma cases were observed in the H. felis alone and MNU + H. felis groups. Furthermore, 12.5% of gastric adenocarcinoma cases were observed in the MNU alone and MNU + H. felis groups. The gastric mucosal IL-1β level was significantly higher in the MNU + H. felis group at 21 weeks and H. felis group at 50 weeks, respectively, than that for control mice (P < 0.05). However, the effect of MNU on H. pylori SS1-induced gastric carcinogenesis was low compared to that on H. felis. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of MNU before H. felis infection provokes severe inflammation through IL-1β, and eventually induces gastric cancer. However, the role of MNU in H. pylori SS1-induced gastric carcinogenesis model is minor.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma ; Animals ; Carcinogenesis* ; Cats ; Colon ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Felis ; Helicobacter ; Helicobacter felis ; Helicobacter pylori ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Methylnitrosourea* ; Mice* ; Peroxidase ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

The purpose of this study was 2-fold: 1) to investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite infection in cats reared in Daegu, Republic of Korea and 2) to assess the efficacy and safety of a topical emodepside/praziquantel formulation for cats with parasitic infections. The gastrointestinal parasite infections were examined microscopically using the flotation method. Of 407 cats, 162 (39.8%) were infected by at least one gastrointestinal parasite, including Toxocara cati (63.0%), Toxascaris leonina (31.5%), Taenia taeniaeformis (3.7%), and Cystoisospora felis (1.9%). None of the infected animals had multiple infections. When the data were analyzed according to sex, age, and type of cat, stray cats showed statistically higher prevalence than companion cats (P<0.05). On the 5th day after treatment, no parasitic eggs were detected using microscopic examination. In addition, no adverse effects, such as abnormal behaviors and clinical symptoms, were observed in the cats treated with the drug. These results quantify the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in cats in Daegu, Republic of Korea, and show that topical emodepside/praziquantel is a safe and effective choice for treating the parasitic infections in cats.
Animals ; Cats ; Daegu ; Eggs ; Felis ; Friends ; Humans ; Methods ; Ovum ; Parasites ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Taenia ; Toxascaris ; Toxocara

In this study, we examined a colony of 20 beagle dogs in a laboratory animal facility. Mycoplasma was detected by consensus PCR assay in 1 dog with respiratory and constitutional symptoms. None of the other dogs were affected. The dog was euthanized and necropsied. In postmortem examinations, gray or plum-colored gross lesions were found on the lung, most commonly in the apical and cardiac lobes. Some lesions showed clear demarcation and consolidation. Microscopic examination showed peribronchiolar lymphoid hyperplasia and interstitial thickening, lesions pathognomonic for mycoplasma pneumonia. To identify canine Mycoplasma species, we used species-specific PCR reactions for M. arginini, M. canis, M. cynos, M. edwardii, M. felis, M. gateae, M. maculosum, M. molare, M. opalescens, M. spumans, Mycoplasma sp. HRC 689, and M. collis. As the result, we identified Mycoplasma cynos by amplification of DNA extracted from lung tissue of the laboratory beagle dog with respiratory disease.
Animals ; Animals, Laboratory ; Autopsy ; Cats ; Consensus ; DNA ; Dogs ; Felis ; Hyperplasia ; Lung ; Molar ; Mycoplasma ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; Polymerase Chain Reaction