ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HELICOBACTER SPECIES FROM THE STOMACH OF THE HOUSE MUSK SHREW (SUNCUS-MURINUS) WITH CHRONIC GASTRITIS

A Gram-negative, motile bacterium with bipolar sheathed flagella (one at each end) was isolated from the stomach of house musk shrews (Suncu s murinus) with chronic gastritis. The isolates grew at 37 degrees C u nder microaerophilic conditions, but not under aerobic conditions; rap idly hydrolyzed urea; were catalase, oxidase, alkaline phosphatase, an d arginine aminopeptidase positive; reduced nitrate to nitrite; and we re resistant to cephalothin and nalidixic acid, but sensitive to tetra cycline, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol. This bacterium was found o n gastric epithelial cells by electron microscopy. In addition, a cocc oid form of the bacteria was found in vacuoles formed in the epithelia l cells of some of the house musk shrews tested. These results, includ ing 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strongly suggested that this bact erium should be classified as a novel Helicobacter species. It is prop osed that this bacterium should be called ''Helicobacter suncus.''.