Isolation of a spiral-shaped bacterium from the cat stomach

Abstract

A spiral- or helix-shaped bacterium that colonizes the stomachs of cats has been isolated in pure culture for the first time. The organism is tightly coiled with tufts of 10 to 17 polar flagella positioned slightly off center at the end of the cell. The body of the cell is entwined with unique periplasmic fibrils that usually occur in pairs, although groupings of one and three fibrils were also seen. The organism is strongly urease, catalase, and oxidase positive and is likely to belong to an as yet unclassified group of bacteria that are specifically adapted to the ecological niche provided by gastrointestinal mucus. Isolation of this organism will allow study of the factors influencing colonization of gastric mucosae, information relevant to the association of another mucus colonizer, Campylobacter pylori, with the human stomach. Recent reports of the isolation of other bacteria with the characteristic periplasmic surface structures suggests that the group may be more widespread than was hitherto thought. Bacteria with the morphology of the organisms seen in the cat stomach have been seen in gastric biopsies from humans. The organism whose isolation is reported here has been used in previous serological studies to support the hypothesis that spiral bacteria from animals can colonize the human stomach.

Lack of protection following immunisation with H. pylori outer membrane vesicles highlights antigenic differences between H. felis and H. pylori

“…H. pylori 60190 [15] and H. felis CS1 [16] were grown in 2.8% (w/v) Brucella broth base (Difco, Detroit, MI), supplemented with 5% foetal calf serum (Gibco BRL, NZ). Cultures were incubated at 37³C in a microaerobic environment (10% hydrogen, 10% carbon dioxide and 80% nitrogen) and were shaken at 120 rpm.…”

Domestic Cats as Laboratory Animals

“…Of several Helicobacter species infecting animals, H. felis is one of the most interesting and useful because of its wide host range, its ability to induce many, if not all, of the lesions found in human Helicobacter disease, and its adaptability to experimental induction in mice and cats. Helicobacterfelis is a naturally occurring pathogen in cats that appears to be prevalent in some colonies, but its prevalence or significance as an agent of clinical diseases in the general cat population is not clear (Lee et al, 1988;Perkins et al, 1996). Fox et al (1993) have studied this organism and the disease that it induces in mice and cats.…”

Potential animal models of Helicobacter pylori infection in immunological and vaccine research

“…These bacteria, often called gastric Campylobacter-like organisms (GCLO), are usually commensals and do not cause gastritis. However, GCLO closely related to H. pylori have been found in the gastric mucosa of several animals, of which some can be used to cause an H. pylori-like infection [1,2]. H. felis and H. mustelae have attracted most attention as they can be used in animal studies to mimic H. pylon' infection.…”