Investigation of Helicobacter hepaticus infection in various species of mice in China / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter hepaticus (H. hepaticus)infection in various species of mice from different regions of China in order to find the role of H. hepaticus in development of hepatitis, liver cancer and tumors in lower digestive tract in mice.Methods One hundred and fourteen mice, including C57BL/6 mice (n= 39), BABL/C mice (n=45),SCID mice (n=14) and C3H mice (n=18), were collected from different regions of China. The serum anti-H, hepaticus-IgG and fecal H. hepaticus antigen were determined by using ELISA. Polymerase chain reaction analysis (PCR) was used to screen Helicobacter genus-specific 16SrRNA and H. hepaticus species-specific 16SrRNA. The feces were cultured and identitied for Helicobacter infection in 114 mice. The H. he paticus infection was identified as one of above tests being positive.Results Of 114 mice, 25 (21.9%) mice were infected with Helicobacter species. The mice infected with H. hepaticus accounted for 44. 0% (11/25) with SCID and C3H mice in high prevelence.Meanwhile, the PCR examination revealed that the rest 56.0% (14/25) mice were infected with other Helicobacter species. Conclusion Besides H. hepaticus infection, the other Helicobacter species infections are also existed in China.