ANIMAL-MODELS OF BACTERIAL GASTRITIS - THE ROLE OF HOST, BACTERIAL SPECIES AND DURATION OF INFECTION ON SEVERITY OF GASTRITIS

Gastric bacteria from cheetahs with gastritis were used to inoculate s pecific-pathogen free kittens and conventional mice. Helicobacter sp. and Gastrospirillum sp. colonized kittens, while only Gastrospirillum sp. colonized mice. In kittens, both bacterial species induced mild ly mphofolliclar gastritis which did not change over the course of the 11 months observation period. In mice, Gastrospirillum sp. induced lymph oplasmacytic and follicular gastritis which increased in severity over 6 months and persisted for the 12 month observation period. Gastric u lcers and gastric mucosal hypertrophy were present in chronically infe cted mice. These results indicate that host but not bacterial factors influence the severity of gastritis, and that in mice, bacterial gastr itis increases in severity with time and may lead to gastric ulceratio n in some individuals.