Immunodetection of Helicobacter sp. and the associated expression of ABO blood group antigens in the gastric mucosa of captive and free-living New World primates in the Amazon region

The histo-blood group ABH antigens were first described in humans. These antigens are only present on erythrocytes from great apes and humans, while in more primitive animals they are found in tissues and body fluids. The ABH antigens are mainly distributed in tissues exposed to the external environment and potentially serve as ligands for pathogens or inhibitors of tissue connections. The objective of this paper was two-fold: (i) to determine the presence of Helicobacter sp. in the gastric mucosa of 16 captive and 24 free-living New World monkeys and (ii) to evaluate the presence of histopathological alterations related to bacterial infection and the associated expression of ABH antigens in the tissue. Stomach tissues from 13 species of monkey were assessed using haematoxylin-eosin and modified Gram staining (Hucker) methods. An immunohistochemical analysis of the tissue revealed the presence of infectious bacteria that were characteristic of the genus Helicobacter sp. The results demonstrate that various species of monkey might be naturally infected with the Helicobacter sp. and that there is an increased susceptibility to infection. This study serves as a comparative analysis of infection between human and non-human primates and indicates the presence of a new species of Helicobacter.

Prevalence and Clinical Characterization of Gastric Helicobacter Species Infection of Dogs and Cats in Korea

This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characterizations of gastric Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats in Korea. The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. infection of dogs and cats determined by urease test was 78.4% and 64%, respectively, although Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay showed that it was 82.3% and 84%. Urease mapping results based on urease test showed that total positive rate of tested tissues from clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that from clinically normal dogs (p=0.0018; Odds ratio = 6.118; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.96~19.103). These findings were consistent with the results of Helicobacter genus-specific PCR assay which showed that positive rate of the fundus (100%) and the antrum (100%) of clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of same gastric regions of clinically normal dogs (77.5 and 67.5% respectively). In comparison of gastric regions between clinically normal dogs and abnormal dogs, positive rate of urease test for the fundus (100%) and body (90.9%) in clinically abnormal dogs was significantly higher than that of abnormal dogs (72.5% and 57.5% respectively; p<0.05). The results of urease mapping in dogs and cats also indicated that Helicobacter colonization in the fundus was more dense compared with the density in the body and antrum. In Helicobacter species-specific PCR assay for dogs, 32 of 42 fundic tissues (76.2%) were positive for H. heilmannii and two (4.8%) were positive for H. felis. In cats, 18 of 21 fundic tissues (85.7%) were positive for H. heilmannii and 2 (9.5%) were positive for H. felis. Gastritis scores of fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs were similar to that from noninfected dogs and evidence of upregulation of IL-1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha mRNA was not detected in gastric fundic tissues from clinically abnormal infected dogs. This study suggested that Helicobacter spp. infection in domestic dogs including private owned pet dogs and cats is highly prevalent usually with no clinical sign but high density of colonization can be related to gastrointestinal signs

Diagnóstico microbiológico de helicobacter pylori / Microbiology diagnosis of helicobacter pylori infection

Actualmente se dispone de una variedad de métodos que permiten el diagnóstico de la infección por Helicobacter pylori o la evaluación de la erradicación de la bacteria después del tratamiento. Los métodos microbiológicos requieren de la toma de biopsia gástrica. Los Gram resultan rápidos de realizar, económicos, pero necesitan personal entrenado. La prueba rápida de ureasa es sencilla, relativamente económica y permite el diagnóstico en la sala de endoscopia. El cultivo es un método más laborioso, costoso en tiempo y materiales, requiere personal entrenado, sin embargo, imprescindible cuando se necesitan pruebas de suceptibilidad a antimicrobianos. La elección de una u otra prueba dependerá de los recursos disponibles y del objetivo de la investigación

Crecimiento y evolución del Helicobacter pylori / Growth and evolution of Helicobacter pylori

El género Helicobacter tiene una historia relativamente reciente. Su protagonismo data del año 1982, fecha en la que el Helicobacter Pylori se aisló por primera vez de paciente humanos. Esta bacteria, inicialmente, se incluyó en el género Campylobacter y se la denominó Campylobacter Pylori o Piloridis. Posteriormente en el año 1989, se separo de este género y se creó uno nuevo el género Helycobacter, al que actualmente pertenecen varias especies. Los expertos en microbiología le asignaron este término por su forma de hélice in vivo y sus caracteres de bacteria in vitro, ya que encontraron que la denominación Campylobacter era errónea en vista del contenido de ácidos grasos de su pared y por el análisis del ADN se dieron cuenta que la bacteria no pertenecía a los Campylobacter.

Género helicobacter: una entidad taxonómica en expansión, de características zoonóticas / Genus helicobacter: a toxonomic entity in expansion, with zoonotic characteristics

El genero Helicobacter es un taxón que ha experimentado una notable expansión, tanto desde el punto de vista de las especies que lo componen hasta ahora (19), como de los animales reservorios donde han sido encontradas. Algunas de estas especies pueden colonizar la mucosa gástrica y otras la mucosa intestinal. Muchas de ellas han sido consideradas como agentes zoonóticos y es posible que, en el futuro, nuevas especies sean agregadas a este género y muchas de aquellas encontradas exclusivamente en animales pueden ser aisladas del hombre y de otros huéspedes