REDUCED INCIDENCE OF STRESS-ULCER IN GERM-FREE SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

Recent findings with respect to the role of spiral gram-negative bacte ria in peptic ulcer disease have stimulated interest in discerning the role of these agents in stress ulcer disease. We tested the hypothesi s that a standard restraint-cold ulcerogenic procedure would fail to p roduce ulcers in axenic rats. Axenic, as well as normal Sprague Dawley rats, were exposed to a cold-restraint procedure. The germ-free condi tion was maintained throughout the study in the axenic rats. Axenic ra ts had significantly fewer ulcers as compared to normal rats exposed t o the standard cold-restraint procedure, as well as handling control r ats. The data represent the first report suggesting a microbiologic co mponent in the development of stress ulcer using the rat model.