Helicobacter marmotae and novel Helicobacter and Campylobacter species isolated from the livers and intestines of prairie dogs

Abstract

Prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) are used to study the aetiology and prevention of gallstones because of the similarities of prairie dog and human bile gallstone composition. Epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested a connection between infection with Helicobacter species and cholesterol cholelithiasis, cholecystis and gallbladder cancer. Ten of the 34 prairie dogs in this study had positive Helicobacter species identified by PCR using Helicobacter genusspecific primers. Ten of 34 prairie dogs had positive Campylobacter species identified in the intestine by PCR with Campylobacter genus-specific primers. Six Helicobacter sp. isolates and three Campylobacter sp. isolates were identified taxonomically by 16S rRNA gene analysis. The prairie dog helicobacters fell into three clusters adjacent to Helicobacter marmotae. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, three strains in two adjacent clusters were included in the species H. marmotae. Three strains were only 97.1 % similar to the sequence of H. marmotae and can be considered a novel species with the provisional designation Helicobacter sp. Prairie Dog 3. The prairie dog campylobacters formed a single novel cluster and represent a novel Campylobacter sp. with the provisional designation Campylobacter sp. Prairie Dog. They branched with Campylobacter cuniculorum at 96.3 % similarity and had the greatest sequence similarity to Campylobacter helveticus at 97.1 % similarity. Whether H. marmotae or the novel Helicobacter sp. and Campylobacter sp. identified in prairie dogs play a role in cholesterol gallstones or hepatobiliary disease requires further studies.

Enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. in cats with non-haematopoietic intestinal carcinoma: a survey of 55 cases

“…H. bilis has been associated with human chronic cholecystitis and biliary cancer (Matsukura et al, 2002;Fox et al, 1998) and with inflammatory bowel disease in mice (Maggio-Price et al, 2006). H. marmotae has been identified in woodchuck livers and cat faeces, although its association with disease is incompletely characterized Patterson et al, 2010;Beisele et al, 2011). Isolation of these species from companion animals and from humans has fueled speculation of inter-species transmission.…”

Co-infection of the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) with a novel Helicobacter sp. and Campylobacter sp.

“…Co-infection with Campylobacter spp. and Helicobacter marmotae was recently reported in wild-caught black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) (Beisele et al, 2011). Unlike the prairie dogs, the present Siberian hamster colony has been maintained in the laboratory for several generations and the identification of Campylobacter sp.…”

“…are Gramnegative, anaerobic or microaerophilic, fastidious, spiral-, curved-or rod-shaped, flagellated bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of mammals and birds (Man, 2011). Campylobacteriosis is one of the leading causes of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis in the USA (Scallan et al, 2011) and is a potential zoonotic pathogen from pets and laboratory animals (Beisele et al, 2011;Fox, 1982;Kaur et al, 2011;Rossi et al, 2008;Shen et al, 2001). Indeed, the Syrian hamster can serve as a reservoir for Campylobacter jejuni (Fox et al, 1981), and Campylobacter spp.…”

Helicobacter spp. Other than H. pylori

“…Novel unclassified Helicobacter spp., in combination with known gastric or enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. (e.g., Helicobacter cetorum or Helicobacter marmotae), were identified in gastric fluids and dental plaques of captive cetaceans [12] in the intestines and livers of prairie dogs [13], and in the fecal material of Yangtze finless porpoises [14]. In addition, Helicobacterlike organisms were detected by histologic examination in gastric mucosa biopsies of captive and free-living New World primates in the Amazon region [15].…”