HIGHER INCIDENCE OF GASTROSPIRILLUM SP IN SWINE WITH GASTRIC-ULCER OFTHE PARS OESOPHAGEA

Gastric ulcer in swine is characterized by an area of acid-peptic dige stion, occurs usually in the pars oesophagea of the stomach, and has u nknown etiopathogenesis. The present work was carried out to investiga te the prevalence of the newly described spiral-shaped microorganism G astrospirillum sp. (''Gastrospirillum suis'') in stomachs of abattoir pigs with and without gastric ulcer. Stomachs were removed from 32 con secutive pigs presenting apparently normal mucosa and from 32 addition al consecutive pigs presenting frank, chronic gastric ulcer of the par s oesophagea. Fragments of antral, oxyntic, cardiac and pars oesophage a regions were taken from each stomach and processed for histology and for identification of Gastrospirillum sp. in tissue sections. The mic roorganisms were identified mainly in the mucous layer and in gastric foveolas of the antral and oxyntic mucosa. Forty pigs (62.5%) were pos itive for Gastrospirillum sp.; among them, 27 (67.5%) had gastric ulce r, and 13 (32.5%) had no ulcer. Twenty-four pigs (37.5%) were negative for Gastrospirillum sp.; among them, five (20.8%) presented with gast ric ulcer, and 19 (79.2%) had no ulcer. There was a significant differ ence between pigs with and without gastric ulcer in regard to the pres ence of Gastrospirillum sp. (P < 0.01). The spiral-shaped microorganis m Gastrospirillum sp. that inhabits the stomach of pigs should be cons idered a possible factor connected with the etiopathogenesis of swine gastric ulcer.