Novel Helicobacter species isolated from rhesus monkeys with chronic idiopathic colitis

Abstract

Chronic, idiopathic diffuse colitis is a well recognised clinical and pathological entity in captive rhesus monkeys. Six rhesus monkeys were diagnosed with clinically debilitating, chronic diarrhoea. Histologically, colonic tissues were characterised as chronic, moderate to severe colitis and typhlitis, with diffuse mononuclear in¯ammation of lamina propria, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and multifocal micro-abscesses. Colonic tissues were cultured for Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp.; all results were negative. Samples were negative for Clostridium dif®cile A and B toxins, and special stains of colonic tissue for acid-fast bacteria were also negative. The six diarrhoeic monkeys tested gave negative results for serum IgG antibodies to herpes B virus, STLV, SRV and SIV. Colonic tissue from the six diarrhoeic and two clinically normal monkeys with histologically con®rmed colitis from the same colony were also subjected to micro-aerobic culture. Micro-aerobic cultures from all eight monkeys incubated at 378C and 428C revealed pinpoint or spreading colonies on antibiotic-containing media. Bacteria were identi®ed as gramnegative, oxidase positive and urease negative. Of the nine strains characterised biochemically, two separate biotypes (corresponding to different species by 16S rRNA analysis) were identi®ed. One biotype (type 1), from non-diarrhoeic monkeys and the second biotype (type 2) from diarrhoeic animals with subclinical chronic colonic in¯ammation, differed by catalase activity, ability to reduce nitrate to nitrite and sensitivity to cephalothin. Complete 16S rRNA analysis of ®ve of the nine strains characterised biochemically indicated that the organisms isolated were two novel Helicobacter spp. By electron microscopy, these novel helicobacters had spiral morphology with bipolar sheathed¯agella. This is the ®rst report describing the isolation of novel Helicobacter spp. from in¯amed colons of rhesus monkeys. Studies are needed to determine whether these novel Helicobacter spp. play a causal role in the initiation and progression of chronic colitis in macaques. Further microbiological and histological analysis of this chronic idiopathic colitis syndrome in macaques may prove useful in understanding the aetiology and pathogenesis of in¯ammatory bowel disease in man.

Isolation and characterization of a novel Helicobacter species, Helicobacter jaachi sp. nov., from common marmosets (Callithrix jaachus)

“…However, this study did not perform colonic biopsies to ascertain if the H. cinaedi-positive monkeys had histological evidence of chronic colitis, a common finding in rhesus monkeys (Fernandez et al, 2002). Isolation of other novel helicobacters from inflamed colons of rhesus monkeys and cotton-top tamarins is also consistent with the increasing recognition of enteric helicobacters in children with gastroenteritis who reside in developing countries (Fox et al, 2001b;Lastovica & le Roux, 2000;Saunders et al, 1999) and the identity of enteric helicobacters in the lower bowel of children with inflammatory bowel disease (Thomson et al, 2011;Zhang et al, 2006). Our findings in this study are consistent with previous NHP studies, in that we identified Helicobacter jaachi sp.…”

Isolation of Helicobacter cinaedi from the Colon, Liver, and Mesenteric Lymph Node of a Rhesus Monkey with Chronic Colitis and Hepatitis

“…Although H. cinaedi has been isolated from multiple organs and body fluids from both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, it has not been previously isolated from inflamed tissues of nonhuman primates (8). Interestingly, however, both H. cinaedi and H. fennelliae can cause diarrhea and bacteremia when inoculated into pigtail macaques (4).…”

Enterohepatic Helicobacter species isolated from the ileum, liver and colon of a baboon with pancreatic islet amyloidosis

“…RFLP analysis revealed that ileal and hepatic isolates had identical banding patterns with AluI and HhaI restriction enzymes, but were distinct from the banding patterns of the colonic isolate. The RFLP patterns from the ileal and hepatic isolates were identical to the pattern of an isolate of 'Helicobacter macacae' (MIT 99-5504) obtained from the colon of a non-diarrheic rhesus monkey with chronic idiopathic colitis (Fox et al, 2001b). The RFLP pattern of the colonic isolate was identical to the pattern of an isolate of Helicobacter cinaedi (MIT 99-10781) obtained from the faeces of a rhesus monkey (J. G. Fox and others, unpublished results) (Fig.…”

“…'H. macacae' is a novel species that has been isolated from rhesus monkeys with and without chronic idiopathic colitis (Fox et al, 2001b; J. G. Fox and others, unpublished results). 'H.…”

“…In order to determine the phylogenetic relatedness of the Helicobacter isolates, 16S rRNA sequencing and data analyses were performed as previously described (Fox et al, 2001b). The sequences of the 16S rRNA genes of the isolates from the ileum and liver were 99 % similar to that of 'H.…”