Presence Of Helicobacter Research Articles

Prevalence and diversity of enteric Helicobacter spp. in healthy and diarrheic cats.

Helicobacters are gastric and enterohepatic and live in the gut. The role of enterohepatic Helicobacters as intestinal pathogens is uncertain, while stomach Helicobacters are well-known. The prevalence of Helicobacter species in cat feces helps us understand their impact on cat health and human disease transmission. This study used PCR to identify Helicobacter spp. in feces samples from healthy and diarrhoeic cats, independent of the reason. The study also compared intestinal and stomach Helicobacter species. PCR analysis was performed on fecal samples from 40 cats, with 20 cats having diarrhea and 20 cats showing no symptoms. The PCR analysis aimed to detect Helicobacter's presence using a method that identifies the bacteria through the 16S rRNA gene. The diarrhoeic group had a greater prevalence of infection (17:9 ratio), with an overall 65% infection rate detected. Cats that were older than 2 years showed a higher incidence of disease. H. canis had the highest occurrence rate (69.2%), followed by H. bilis, H. bizzozeronii, and H. salomonis. Significantly, H. pylori, H. felis, and H. heilmannii were not reported. H. canis was the predominant species found in both healthy and diarrheic cats, indicating the need for more investigation. The detection of the gastric species H. salomonis and H. bizzozeronii further complicates the classification. This highlights the complex nature of Helicobacter infections in cats, emphasizing the need for further investigation to guide the development of preventative measures and treatment techniques for both veterinary and public health purposes.

Tratamiento y determinación de la presencia de Helicobacter en perros de refugio mediante pruebas de antígenos en heces y ensayo inmunoenzimático

In order to determine the presence of Helicobacter in shelter Dogs in Yozgat Province of Türkiye by fecal antigen test and ELISA and to treat the infection during the initial period. As the material of the study, faecal antigen test, faecal samples for ELISA, blood samples for haematological and biochemical analyses were collected from 82 dogs in Sorgun animal shelter where food and water bowls were kept in compartments. Infected and control groups were formed according to the results of the fecal antigen test. As a result of fecal antigen test, 6 of 82 animals were antigen positive and 76 were antigen negative. According to ELISA analysis; 53 dogs were antibody positive and 29 dogs were antibody negative. No significance was determined between the groups in terms of age and gender in both tests (P>0.05). Dogs in the infected group were treated according to a protocol known as triple therapy, which is used in Helicobacter infections. WBC, NEU and MON counts, RDW and % NEU values of the infected group were higher in the hematological examination, while the % LYM values were significantly lower than the control group. In the biochemical examination, the concentrations TNF–α (21.17 pg·mL-1 vs. 48.21 pg·mL-1), IL–1β (73.41 pg·mL-1 vs. 37.60 pg·mL-1) (P<0.01) and CRP (644.0 mg·dL-1 vs. 234.01 mg·dL-1) (P<0.001) were found to be higher than those of the control group. As a result, it was determined in the study that the presence of Helicobacter was intense in dogs that were in one–to–one contact with each other, including the feeding of dogs in shelter conditions. With the methods used in the study, it is predicted that the presence of Helicobacter can be detected and treated in the early stages, thus preventing transmission of Helicobacter in dogs.

Detection of Helicobacter species in humans and their dog

Helicobacter is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that colonizes the stomach of humans and dogs, among other mammals. The most frequent species found in the gastric mucosa of man is H. pylori, however, there are other species of Helicobacter in the stomach of humans, such as H. suis, H. bizzozeronii, H. felis, H. salomonis and H. heilmannii sensu stricto, named non H. pylori Helicobacter (NHPH) some of which also colonize the dog's stomach. The detection of NHPH in the stomach mucosa of humans with gastric disease, and in a high percentage of dogs, suggests the possibility that these animals play an important role in the pathogenesis and transmission of infection to man, postulating the path of transmission oral-oral or fecal-oral. The aim of this study was to determine whether people with signs of chronic gastritis who have Helicobacter spp. and who own dogs as pets, share the same species with them. The presence of Helicobacter spp. in gastric samples of 30 people with clinical signs of chronic gastritis and histopathological diagnosis of gastric infection with Helicobacter spp. was analyzed by PCR. The presence of Helicobacter spp. was also studied in the dogs of these people. Then, the species of Helicobacter presented was determined in both. In human gastric samples, H. pylori was the only species found, while in dogs, samples were H. bizzozeronii, H. felis, H. salomonis and H. heilmannii. In this work the same species were not found in dogs and their owners.

Prospects of using probiotics containing <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Aim theoretical analysis and systematization of the knowledge on using probiotics containingLactobacillus acidophilusin the prevention and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
 The bibliographic databases of the scientific libraries eLIBRARY.RU, Cochrane Library and CyberLeninka, the electronic resources of the Global Health platform, the sites of scientific publications ScienceDirect and Elsevier, MEDLINE and PubMed-NCBI were searched for the relevant information. Next, the full-text sources were analysed. We used structural-logical and analytical methods in this work.
 The probiotics containingLactobacillus acidophiluswere reported to enhance eradication therapy in the presence ofHelicobacter pyloriinfection, reduce pain and normalize bowel function in irritable bowel syndrome, normalize liver function, reduce liver enzymes, prevent the development of hepatic encephalopathy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, support clinical remission in ulcerative colitis. Also, they demonstrated the effectiveness for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, including clostridial infection, and the improvement of intestinal microbiota. In many gastrointestinal diseases, the effect of probiotics had a high level of evidence. The beneficial properties of probiotics can be used in the development of functional food products for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.

Gut microbiota modulates bleomycin-induced acute lung injury response in mice.

Airway instillation of bleomycin (BLM) in mice is a widely used, yet challenging, model for acute lung injury (ALI) with high variability in treatment scheme and animal outcomes among investigators. Whether the gut microbiota plays any role in the outcome of BLM-induced lung injury is currently unknown. Intratracheal instillation of BLM into C57BL/6 mice was performed. Fecal microbiomes were analyzed by 16s rRNA amplicon and metagenomic sequencing. Germ-free mice conventionalization and fecal microbiota transfer between SPF mice were performed to determine dominant commensal species that are associated with more severe BLM response. Further, lungs and gut draining lymph nodes of the mice were analyzed by flow cytometry to define immunophenotypes associated with the BLM-sensitive microbiome. Mice from two SPF barrier facilities at the University of Chicago exhibited significantly different mortality and weight loss during BLM-induced lung injury. Conventionalizing germ-free mice with SPF microbiota from two different housing facilities recapitulated the respective donors' response to BLM. Fecal microbiota transfer from the facility where the mice had worse mortality into the mice in the facility with more survival rendered recipient mice more susceptible to BLM-induced weight loss in a dominant negative manner. BLM-sensitive phenotype was associated with the presence of Helicobacter and Desulfovibrio in the gut, decreased Th17-neutrophil axis during steady state, and augmented lung neutrophil accumulation during the acute phase of the injury response. The composition of gut microbiota has significant impact on BLM-induced wasting and death suggesting a role of the lung-gut axis in lung injury.

Helicobacter spp. in the Stomach of Cats: Successful Colonization and Absence of Relevant Histopathological Alterations Reveals High Adaptation to the Host Gastric Niche.

In addition to Helicobacter pylori, many non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacters (NHPH) are able to cause gastric disease in humans. Cats are a natural reservoir for many of these species. Accordingly, living in close and intimate contact with animals has been identified as a risk factor, and an important zoonotic significance has therefore been attributed to NHPH. To determine the prevalence and associated gastric histopathological changes of Helicobacter species, the gastric mucosa of 71 cats were evaluated. Only four presented normal histopathological mucosa with the absence of spiral-shaped organisms. Normal gastric mucosa and the presence of spiral-shaped bacteria were observed in 13 cats. The remaining animals presented histopathological changes representative of gastritis. Helicobacter species were detected in 53 cats (74.6%) by at least one detection method. None of the animals were positive for H. pylori or for H. ailurogastricus. Helicobacter heilmannii organisms were identified in 20 animals, predominantly in the body gastric region. Helicobacter salomonis was the second most prevalent species (57.1%), although it was mainly found in association with other NHPH. Helicobacter felis and H. bizzozeronii were less frequently detected. The great majority of the Helicobacter spp. PCR-positive animals presented normal features regarding fibrosis/mucosal atrophy, neutrophils, eosinophils, or other inflammatory cells and lymphofollicular hyperplasia. Given the controversy and the strong evidence of absence of significant histopathological alterations associated with the presence of Helicobacter spp. in cats, it is possible to hypothesize that these bacteria may be able to adapt to the feline gastric microenvironment or even to comprise part of the gastric microbiome of this animal species. Thus, prudency must be taken when prescribing an antibiotic therapy based solely on the presence of these bacteria in the feline stomach.

Presence of Helicobacter spp. in dental tartar and gastric mucosa, and its relationship with EGUS in horses from a public slaughterhouse

Background: Despite the fact that Helicobacter spp. has been detected in equine gastric mucosa, no evidence exists about this infection in Colombian horses affected by equine ulcerative gastric syndrome (EGUS), nor in dental tartar. Objective: To detect Helicobacter spp. DNA in equine gastric mucosa and dental tartar and determine the relationship between the presence of Helicobacter spp. and gastric lesions. Methods: Samples of glandular gastric mucosa and dental tartar were collected from 30 equine slaughterhouses. Macroscopic lesions of the stomachs were classified and the total DNA in all samples was extracted using a commercial extraction kit. A final-point PCR was performed using primers for amplification of a segment of 251 bp of the gene encoding the 16s rRNA region; the amplified fragments were subjected to a second PCR to determine the presence of H. pylori, the VacA gene was typified. The resulting amplicons were sequenced. Results: It was possible to amplify 16s rRNA in several samples but there was no amplification of VacA. Fragments of the sequences were compatible with H. heilmannii. The 23.3 and 10% of gastric and tartar samples were positive for 16s rRNA of Helicobacter spp., respectively. Conclusion: Although genetic material of Helicobacter spp. was found in some animals, there was no relationship with gastric lesions. It is possible that helicobacteriosis has no bearing in EGUS etiology.

Role of Mucin 2 Glycoprotein and L-fucose in Interaction of Immunity and Microbiome within the Experimental Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Many factors underlie the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans. In particular, imbalance of microbiota and thinning of the mucosal layer in the large intestine play a huge role. Pathogenic microorganisms also exacerbate the course of diseases. In this research the role of mucin 2 deficiency in the formation of intestinal microflora in the experimental model using the Muc2 gene knockout mice in the presence of Helicobacter spp. was investigated. Also, restorative and anti-inflammatory effect of the dietary L-fucose in the Muc2-/- mice on microflora and immunity was evaluated. For this purpose, bacterial diversity in feces was studied in the animals before and after antibiotic therapy and role of the dietary L-fucose in their recovery was assessed. To determine the effect of bacterial imbalance and fucose on the immune system, mRNA levels of the genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines (Tnf, Il1a, Il1b, Il6) and transcription factors of T cells (Foxp3 - Treg, Rorc - Th17, Tbx21 - Th1) were determined in the colon tissue of the Muc2-/- mice. Significant elimination of bacteria due to antibiotic therapy caused decrease of the fucose levels in the intestine and facilitated reduction of the regulatory T cell transcription factor (Foxp3). When the dietary L-fucose was added to antibiotics, the level of bacterial DNA of Bacteroides spp. in the feces of the Muc2-/- mice was partially restored. T regulatory cells are involved in the regulation of inflammation in the Muc2-/- mice. Antibiotics reduced the number of regulatory T cell but did not decrease the inflammatory response to infection. Fucose, as a component of mucin 2, helped to maintain the level of Bacteroides spp. during antibiotic therapy of the Muc2-/- mice and restored biochemical parameters, but did not affect the inflammatory response.

Evidence of Helicobacter spp. in Saliva and Gastric Mucosa of Domestic Dogs in the Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium, which plays a role in the aetiology of gastric diseases in humans. Non-H. pylori Helicobacter (NHPH) species naturally colonise the stomach of animals and also induce gastric lesions in humans, highlighting their zoonotic importance. We evaluated the gastric bacterial colonisation density and gastric lesions and sought to identify the main phylogenetic groups of the Helicobacter spp. obtained from dogs in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with this study aiming to investigate the occurrence of Helicobacter spp. in saliva and gastric samples from these dogs. This study included 35 dogs and used analysis such as cytology, histopathology, PCR, rapid urease testing, and phylogenetic analysis. Of the dogs, 94.3% were positive for Helicobacter spp., and these bacteria were present in the stomach of 32 dogs and saliva of eight. Respectively, eight, 15, and nine dogs had mild, moderate, and severe colonisation. Lymphocytic-plasmacytic infiltrate was the main gastric lesion. However, the presence of Helicobacter and the density appeared to be unrelated to the gastric lesions. The samples possessed a high nucleotide identity with remarkably similar sequences among some of the species of NHPH such as H. heilmannii s.s., H. salomonis, H. felis, and H. bizzozeronii. The saliva of domestic dogs, even of those who appear clinically healthy, can cause Helicobacter infection in humans and other animals, with, in these dogs, increased density, occurrence rate, and predominance of NHPH of zoonotic importance being found in the stomach with a lower occurrence of Helicobacter spp. in the saliva.

Helicobacter spp. and gastric lesions association in minipigs

ABSTRACT: Due to their similarity to humans, studies regarding gastric ulcers in pigs have become of great interest. It is known that Helicobacter spp. is related to the occurrence of these ulcers, as they possess a high prevalence in pigs. This study aimed to associate gastric lesions findings naturally occurring in minipigs related to or not related to the presence of Helicobacter spp., through the ultra-rapid urease test and immunohistochemical analysis, reaffirming the disease in swine as a natural biomedical model for human cases. For this, samples of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded gastric tissues from 40 minipigs were obtained at the Laboratório de Morfologia e Patologia Animal (LMPA) in the Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF). Regarding the ultra-rapid urease test, no animal was positive in all regions. However, 18 were positive in at least one: six (15%) were positive in the aglandular region, eight (20%) in the antrum region, 13 (32.5%) in the region of the cardiac gland, and one (2.5%) in the region of the fundic gland. Regarding immunohistochemical analysis, only one animal was positive in all regions, and 32 animals were positive in at least one: four (10%) were positive in the aglandular region, 10 (25%) in the antrum region, 23 (57.5%) in the region of the cardiac gland, and three (7.5%) in the region of the fundic gland. The gastric lesion findings showed a close relationship with Helicobacter spp., enriching the laboratory animal pathologies list. The immunostaining of the bacteria not associated with gastric lesions in certain regions demonstrated the saprophytic and opportunisitic nature of Helicobacter.

Characteristic of Stomach Ulcers, Complicated by Bleeding

Background. The benign nature of the gastric ulcer, determined during the initial video esophagogastroduodenoscopy (VEGD) in the presence of a hemorrhage or under the conditions of unstable hemostasis, is not a permanent characteristic of the pathological process, since most examinations do not include multifocal biopsy due to the danger of recurrent bleeding.Objectives: to evaluate the inflammatory changes, regenerative abilities of the peri-ulcer area and to predict malignization in the nearest post-hemorrhagic period.Methods. The work contains the examination data (VEGD, brush biopsy, morphological and immunohistochemical examinations) of 49 patients urgently admitted to the surgery with gastrointestinal bleeding, and further verification of gastric ulcer. Entry criteria were bleeding of the ulcer in the gastric mucosa, located in the antrum or the lesser curve with low risk of recurrent bleeding (Forrest 2C), presence of Helicobacter pylori.Results. Brush biopsy allowed determining the benign nature of ulcerative lesions in 98 % of the patients during the two-day period following the first VEGD. Morphological study revealed dysplasia at the edge of ulcerative lesion with first signs of regeneration in 14.3 % of the patients. In the presence of dysplasia, we noted a vibrant response (+++) with COX-2 (×400), even if the ulcerous defect was smaller than 1.0 cm.Conclusion. Considering our results, it is necessary to develop a strict algorithm for dynamic follow-up of patients with gastric ulcers, complicated by bleeding.

Correlation between Different Helicobacter Morphotypes and Histological Changes in Pig Gastric Mucosa

Background: Two distinct morphologic types of bacteria which belong to the Helicobacter species, have been described in pigs: once or twice curved Helicobacter pylori-like bacteria (HLO) and the multicoiled, Gastrospirillum-like bacteria (GLO). The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of Helicobacter spp. using modified Giemsa stain and to define the relationship between presence of Helicobacter spp. and histopathological changes of gastric mucosa in pigs.Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 120 pig stomachs (60 from intensive and 60 from extensive breeding) were enrolled in this study and 240 fragments of fundic and pyloric mucosa were taken for histopathological examination. By modified Giemsa staining of gastric mucosa, Helicobacter-like organisms were confirmed in 4/60 (6.67%) of pigs in intensive and 5/60 (8.33%) of pigs in extensive breeding. The incidence of tightly spiral shaped Gastrospirillum-like organisms in pigs of intensive and extensive breeding were 5/60 (8.33%) and 9/60 (15%), respectively. The severity of gastritis was scored to the Sydney System with some modifications. There was no significant difference between HLO-positive and HLO-negative fundic mucosa in pigs of both breeding systems. In contrary, there was significant difference between HLO-positive and HLO-negative pyloric mucosa of pigs in intensive (P < 0.001) and in extensive breeding (P < 0.05). In intensive breeding, there was significant difference between GLO-positive and GLO-negative fundic mucosa (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between GLO-positive and GLO-negative pyloric mucosa.Discussion: The prevalence of Helicobacter spp. bacteria were in coherence with literature data. The higher prevalence of both morfological type of bacteria, were considered in pigs in extensive breeding. the hygienic conditions and managment factors in pigs farm are the possible impact for higher bacterial transmission. The association of high prevalence of H. pylori and poor hygienic condition was shown by epidemiological studies conducted on humans. In both, humans and pigs, the presence of H. pylori correlates with an inflammatory response, but there are differences in inflammatory cell population. In H. pylori infected humans, neutrophils composed the bulk of cellular infiltrate, while in pigs, the primary inflammatory cell was the lymphocyte, which is in accordance to results published by others autors. Thus it indicates that different hosts exhibit a different pathohistological response to the Helicobacter spp. infection. In human as well as in veterinary pathology, the fact of the different pathogenicity of various Helicobacter species is well known. In all HLO-positive pyloric mucosa, moderate to severe focal or diffuse infiltration of mononuclear cells and lymphoid follicles with germinal centers, were observed. A similar conclusion was drawn from results of an experimental infection study in pigs. There was signifficance between HLO-positive and HLO-negative pyloric mucosa in both, intensive and extensive breeding. In the contrast, GLO were not associated with the presence of severe gastritis, but only with mild to moderate superficial infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in both, fundic and pyloric mucosa. There was no significant difference between GLO-positive and GLO-negative pyloric mucosa of pigs in both breeding systems. Despite the low gastritis score of fundic mucosa in pigs in intensive breeding, there was a significance difference between in GLO-positive and GLO-negative fundic mucosa. It is believed that the possible reason of such results is the meals with low fiber content and low particles size. These results suggest that the presence of HLO, but not of GLO is associated with the pyloric gastritis in pigs.

Decreased risk for microscopic colitis and inflammatory bowel disease among patients with reflux disease.

Previous studies have found an increased risk for microscopic colitis (MC) associated with proton pump inhibitors. In patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD), proton pump inhibitors have been associated with an increased risk for IBD flares and impaired outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the epidemiological associations between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and MC, UC or CD in a large database. The Miraca Life Sciences Database is a national electronic repository of histopathological records of patients distributed throughout the entire USA. A case-control study evaluated whether the presence of Barrett's metaplasia, erosive oesophagitis on endoscopy or histological signs of reflux oesophagitis, clinical diagnosis of GERD or any GERD type affected the occurrence of MC, UC or CD among 228506 subjects undergoing bidirectional endoscopy. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate ORs and their 95% CI for the risk of MC, UC or CD associated with various types of GERD and were adjusted for age, sex and presence of Helicobacter pylori. The analysis revealed an inverse relationship between GERD and different types of inflammatory bowel disease. The inverse relationships applied similarly to MC (mean=0.62, 95% CI: 0.58-0.66), UC (mean=0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97) and CD (mean=0.76, 95% CI: 0.69-0.85). It also applied to different forms of GERD, with a trend towards more pronounced inverse relationships associated with Barrett's metaplasia or erosive oesophagitis than clinical diagnosis of GERD. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is inversely associated with all forms of inflammatory bowel disease, such as MC, UC, or CD.

High-Percentage Pathological Findings in Obese Patients Suggest that Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy Should Be Made Mandatory Prior to Bariatric Surgery.

To study the percentage of symptomatic and asymptomatic pathological EGD findings in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery and to analyze whether these findings influence the eventual choice of bariatric surgery. All patients posted for bariatric surgery at our institute from January 2015 to March 2017 had a pre-operative EGD done by the same team of endoscopists. In this study, totally, 675 patients were assessed prior to routine bariatric surgery. 78.52% of all pre-operative patients had an abnormal EGD. The most common endoscopic abnormalities found were hiatus hernia (52.44%), gastritis (46.22%), presence of Helicobacter (H.) pylori (46.67%), reflux esophagitis (16.89%), Barrett's esophagus (1.78%), gastric erosions (13.19%), and polyps (7.41%). Fifty patients had upper gastrointestinal polyps: 41 in the stomach, 3 in the esophagus, and 6 in the duodenum, mostly benign hyperplastic or inflammatory polyps. Two patients had gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), 6 leiomyoma, and 6 neuroendocrine tumors (NET). Of those with endoscopic evidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), 70 (60.03%) of patients were asymptomatic. The pre-operative EGD findings resulted in a change of the planned surgical procedure in 67 (9.93%) patients. Our study suggests that a large percentage of patients undergoing bariatric surgery have pathologically significant endoscopic findings of which a significant number are asymptomatic; this can lead to a change in the planned bariatric procedure in a section of patients; hence, we believe that EGD should be made mandatory as a pre-operative investigation in all bariatric surgery patients.

Carta al Editor Es erróneo hacer una asociación directa entre la detección de <i>Helicobacter</i> spp. y gastritis en caninos

It has been proposed that Helicobacter may play a significant role in the generation of gastritis and cancer in dogs. However, despite several independent efforts, there is still controversy regarding the true ability of Helicobacter to cause gastric lesions in these animals. The foregoing is due in part to the fact that gastritis is a multifactorial disease. Studies focused on naturally acquired infections have been unable to establish a positive correlation between Helicobacter colonization and gastritis. Establishing a clear association between the presence of Helicobacter and gastritis may be difficult due to the following reasons: (i) taxonomy of the genus Helicobacter remains unclear, (ii) virulence factors of Helicobacter species that colonize dogs are not well known, and (iii) simultaneous infections have been reported with several species of Helicobacter. Current knowledge in taxonomy and pathogenesis of Helicobacter species is insufficient to differentiate between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains. Therefore, no direct association should be made between the detection of Helicobacter and gastritis.

IDENTIFICAÇÃO DE Helicobacter spp. EM MUCOSAS GÁSTRICA E DUODENAL DE CÃES (Canis familiaris) UTILIZANDO A TÉCNICA DE WARTHIN-STARRY

Resumo Bactérias do gênero Helicobacter spp. têm sido identificadas na mucosa gástrica de diferentes espécies de mamíferos, inclusive em caninos. Pacientes infectados têm gastrite histológica; no entanto, não são todos os portadores que apresentam sinais clínicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as bactérias sugestivas de Helicobacter spp. pela impregnação pela prata e caracterizar as lesões histopatológicas observadas. Foram analisadas amostras de mucosas gástrica e entérica de 26 caninos. Para avaliação histopatológica, foi realizada avaliação qualitativa, na qual foram atribuídos escores de ausente (-) a acentuada (+++), considerando a densidade de bactérias espiraladas por campo (400x), presença de células inflamatórias e aglomerados linfoides. Dos 26 animais avaliados, 34,6% apresentaram positividade para helicobacteriose. A gastrite foi observada em 15,38% dos animais e a maior ocorrência de bactérias do gênero Helicobacter spp. foi observada em região de corpo/fundo gástrico (23%). Em nove amostras, seis de corpo/fundo gástrico e três de antro pilórico, foram observados aglomerados linfóides associados a Helicobacter spp. Por meio de Teste de Fisher, verificou-se associação positiva entre a presença de Helicobacter spp. e agregados linfoides (p<0,001). A infecção por Helicobacter spp. está associada com a presença de aglomerados linfóides em caninos.

Gastrokine mRNA expression in gastric tissue from dogs with helicobacter colonisation but without inflammatory change during treatment

Gastrokines (GKNs) are bioactive substances secreted by gastric cells. Evidence supports functional roles for GKNs in gastric homeostasis, immune responses and tumour suppression. Down-regulation has been reported in Helicobacter pylori associated gastritis and other inflammatory gastrointestinal conditions in mice and people. The aim of this study was to evaluate GKN gene expression in dogs positive for other Helicobacter spp. both before and after treatment.Expression of Gkn-1 and Gkn-2 mRNA was studied in endoscopic biopsy samples collected from seven healthy dogs over three time-points pre- (T0) and at 1 and 18 weeks post-treatment for Helicobacter spp. colonisation (T1 & T2). The relative expression software tool (REST) was used to provide efficiency corrected expression ratios for comparisons between groups and these results were compared to a standard 2ΔΔCT methodology.Compared with T1 Gkn1 and Gkn2 mRNA expression was greater at T0 by a mean factor of 2.53 (SE=1.83–3.54) for Gkn1 (P=0.000) and 2.85 (SE=2.23–3.75) for Gkn2 (P=0.000). This difference was attenuated when comparisons were made between T0 and T2. Histopathological evidence of gastritis was not present in any Helicobacter spp. positive sample.When compared to post-eradication samples Gkn gene expression is increased in the presence of Helicobacter spp. in dogs without evidence for concurrent inflammation. Further evaluation is required to determine the relevance of this finding, however given a suspected role in gastric homeostasis, up-regulation of GKN1 and GKN2 could limit development of gastritis in Helicobacter spp. positive dogs.

Individual differences in stress vulnerability: The role of gut pathobionts in stress-induced colitis

Chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC), an established mouse model for chronic psychosocial stress, promotes a microbial signature of gut inflammation, characterized by expansion of Proteobacteria, specifically Helicobacter spp., in association with colitis development. However, whether the presence of Helicobacter spp. during CSC is critically required for colitis development is unknown. Notably, during previous CSC studies performed at Regensburg University (University 1), male specific-pathogen-free (SPF) CSC mice lived in continuous subordination to a physically present and Helicobacter spp.-positive resident. Therefore, it is likely that CSC mice were colonized, during the CSC procedure, with Helicobacter spp. originating from the dominant resident. In the present study we show that employing SPF CSC mice and Helicobacter spp.-free SPF residents at Ulm University (University 2), results in physiological responses that are typical of chronic psychosocial stress, including increased adrenal and decreased thymus weights, decreased adrenal in vitro adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) responsiveness, and increased anxiety-related behavior. However, in contrast to previous studies that used Helicobacter spp.-positive resident mice, use of Helicobacter spp.-negative resident mice failed to induce spontaneous colitis in SPF CSC mice. Consistent with the hypothesis that the latter is due to a lack of Helicobacter spp. transmission from dominant residents to subordinate mice during the CSC procedure, colonization of SPF residents with Helicobacter typhlonius at University 2, prior to the start of the CSC model, rescued the colitis-inducing potential of CSC exposure. Furthermore, using SPF CSC mice and H. typhlonius-free SPF residents at University 1 prevented CSC-induced colitis. In summary, our data support the hypothesis that the presence or absence of exposure to certain pathobionts contributes to individual variability in susceptibility to stress-/trauma-associated pathologies and to reproducibility of stress-related outcomes between laboratories.

PTH-045 Do Non-Targeted Gastric Biopsies Affect Patient Management, and Can Education and Protocol Reduce The Rate of Non-Targeted Biopsies?: Abstract PTH-045 Table 1

Introduction We have previously shown that non-targeted gastric biopsies seldom contributed to patient management. We developed a local protocol for indications for gastric biopsy, which was distributed to endoscopy theatres trust-wide, and provided education via presentation of results, followed by re-audit. Methods We retrospectively analysed all gastric biopsies taken within a 3 month period in 2015, across 2 sites within Newcastle, using our histopathology and endoscopy databases. This included patient demographics, endoscopy findings, grade of endoscopist, biopsy result, and whether urease-based Helicobacter test (UBHT) was performed and the outcome. We accessed patients electronic medical records to determine whether the result of the biopsy altered diagnosis or management. We compared this to the results from our identical audit undertaken in 2013. A targeted biopsy was defined as the presence at OGD of a polyp, ulcer or any other lesion. Non-targeted biopsy was any other appearance, including gastritis. The cost of a biopsy included manpower and histopathology processing costs. We looked separately at the cost of UBHT testing plus forceps use. Results The table below compares outcomes for the 2 cycles of audit. χ2testing showed a significant reduction in the proportion of non targeted biopsies from 2013 to 2015 (p = 0.001). Of non-targeted biopsies in 2015, 0.07% (n = 1) showed lymphoma in a patient under surveillance. In 2013, 0.8% (n = 2) revealed adenocarcinoma; both biopsies from the same patient under surveillance for gastric carcinoma. No other serious diagnosis was made. Of non-targeted biopsies in 2013, 94% (n = 223) had no management alteration based on histology compared with 90% (n = 135) in 2015. Aside from patients under cancer surveillance, histology results leading to management alteration were based on presence of Helicobacter. The proportion of non targeted biopsies taken by nurse endoscopists reduced from 55% to 43%, and by SpRs, 44% to 28%. The development of a protocol appears to have led to a 36% reduction in non-targeted biopsies. This results in an annual saving of £36,432 (assuming single biopsy set cost of £103.51). Conclusion The majority of non-targeted gastric biopsies taken for histology do not contribute to the management of patients who are not under cancer surveillance. Limiting these biopsies can save significant resources. Education techniques with use of protocol can safely reduce the numbers of non-targeted biopsies. Reinforcement of this message would be expected to further reduce the rate of non-targeted biopsies. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Evidence of Helicobacter spp. in freshwaters from Roraima Tepui, Guayana Shield, South America.

Helicobacter presence and viability in waters is not well characterized. The identification of natural reservoirs and infection sources may provide novel insights into its waterborne transmission. The goal of this study was to investigated the occurrence of Helicobacter spp. in natural freshwaters from Roraima Tepui, a little studied and unique ecosystem of the Guayana Shield. Freshwaters collected from two localities at Roraima Tepui were cultured in HP selective broth and agar for Helicobacter pylori and analysed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), specific PCR assays, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The presence of other bacteria in freshwater enrichments was determined using clone library sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and phylogenetic inferences. Helicobacter spp. were detected by semi-nested PCR and FISH in freshwater enrichments from both sites. Coccoid viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells were evidenced using 16S rRNA gene Helicobacter species and H. pylori-specific probes. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of two HP enrichments showed high similarity to H. pylori and Helicobacter nemestrinae (99-100 %). Other bacteria such as Serratia, Aquitalea, Chromobacterium, Mycobacterium, Acinetobacter, Curvibacter and Dysgonomonas were also detected using complete 16S rRNA gene sequences, with Serratia, Aquitalea and Chromobacterium the most common genera (40.9, 18.2 and 15.2 %, respectively). This is the first time that Helicobacter spp. have been reported in freshwaters of a tepui ecosystem. Our results contribute to the current knowledge of these bacteria in the aquatic environment and expand their known/potential sites outside the human host.