HELICOBACTER-PYLORI ISOLATED FROM THE DOMESTIC CAT - PUBLIC-HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Helicobacter pylori has been directly linked with active chronic gastr itis, peptic ulceration, and gastric adenocarcinoma in humans. Althoug h a substantial portion of the human population is colonized with H. p ylori, the patterns of transmission of the organism remain in doubt, a nd reservoir hosts have not been identified. This study documents the isolation of H. pylori from domestic cats obtained from a commercial v endor. The isolation of H. pylori from these cats was confirmed by mor phologic and biochemical evaluations, fatty acid analysis, and 16S rRN A sequence analysis. H. pylori was cultured from 6 cats and organisms compatible in appearance with H. pylori were observed in 15 additional cats by histologic examination. In most animals, H. pylori was presen t in close proximity to mucosal epithelial cells or in mucus layers of the glandular or surface epithelium. Microscopically, H. pylori-infec ted cat stomachs contained a mild to severe diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with small numbers of neutrophils and eosinophils in the su bglandular and gastric mucosae. Lymphoid follicles were also noted, pa rticularly in the antrum, and often displaced glandular mucosal tissue . Thus, the domestic cat may be a potential model for H. pylori diseas e in humans. Also, the isolation of H. pylori from domestic cats raise s the possibility that the organism may be a zoonotic pathogen, with t ransmission occurring from cats to humans.