infection in laboratory

rodents. A review by Chichlowski and Hale [11] concluded that natural Helicobacter infection of murine models have the potential to influence the outcome and reliability of biomedical research. A major commercial rodent diagnostic laboratory compiled the results of testing a large number of mouse and rat samples from several research institutions to determine the contemporary prevalence of infectious agents and showed Helicobacter spp. DNA to be present in 16.1% of fecal pellets from mice and 6.6% from rats [19]. Another study performed in genetically engineered mice reported a 33.9% PCR prevalence of H. hepaticus in the cecum of 236 mice representing 46 strains [20]. The authors concluded that cross-fostering as a rederivation method for H. hepaticus check details eradication, was probably not appropriate Selleckchem Caspase inhibitor [20]. Flahou et al. investigated the effect of Kazachstania heterogenica, a yeast detected colonizing the gastric antrum of their Mongolian gerbil colony, on the colonization and inflammatory response to Helicobacter suis. Gerbils co-infected with H. suis and K. heterogenica showed a significant increased lymphocytic infiltration when compared with those infected with H. suis alone. The authors recommended

that Mongolian gerbil stomachs should be screened for K. heterogenica [21]. It has been suggested that wild mice might be a potential source of infection to laboratory rodents. Two studies were conducted to assess infectious diseases in wild mice captured in and around rodent facilities. Helicobacter spp. DNA was detected in the feces of 7/8 necropsied wild mice (Peromyscus leucopus) found in the animal facilities at the University of Michigan, most of which were PCR positive for Helicobacter rodentium, representing a potential source of Helicobacter infection for laboratory

mice [22]. At the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) campus, Helicobacter spp. DNA was amplified from fecal pellets of 55/59 (93%) trapped wild mice (Mus musculus), with H. hepaticus being more prevalent than Helicobacter typhlonius and H. rodentium. However, histopathologic lesions compatible with Helicobacter spp. were not observed in these mice [23]. The authors concluded that wild mice were unlikely to be a source of infection in laboratory animals [23]. An outbreak of H. pullorum was reported in mice housed within an isolated barrier unit [24]. for Culture of this enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. provided an opportunity to study its pathogenesis. Moyaert et al. [14] reviewed current knowledge on H. equorum, a urease-negative species recently described to colonize the lower bowel of horses and reported a high prevalence of H. equorum in foals < 6-month-old that decreased with age. Infection was not associated with equine gastrointestinal lesions [14]. A further study related to equine health investigated if bacteria, including Helicobacter spp., could be involved in gastric glandular lesions of these animals [25].