Detection of Helicobacter pylori in bile of cats

FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2004 Nov 1;42(3):307-11. doi: 10.1016/j.femsim.2004.06.002.

Abstract

Lymphocytic cholangitis (LC) in cats is a biliary disease of unknown etiology. Helicobacter spp. were recently implicated in human primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Because of the similarities between PSC/PBC with LC, we hypothesized that Helicobacter spp. are involved in feline LC. A PCR with Helicobacter genus-specific 16S rRNA primers was performed on DNA isolated from feline bile samples. Four of the 15 (26%) LC samples were positive, whereas only 8/51 (16%) of non-LC samples were PCR positive (p=0.44). Sequence analysis of the amplicons revealed a 100% identity with the Helicobacter pylori specific DNA fragments. Our data suggest an etiological role of H. pylori in feline LC and that cats are a potential zoonotic reservoir.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bile / microbiology*
  • Cat Diseases / microbiology*
  • Cats
  • Cholangitis / microbiology
  • Cholangitis / veterinary*
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Genes, rRNA
  • Helicobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Helicobacter Infections / veterinary*
  • Helicobacter pylori / genetics
  • Helicobacter pylori / isolation & purification*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S