General Veterinary

The aim of this study was to evaluate by PCR the presence of Helicobacter spp. in gastric mucus from the fundic region of the stomach and to investigate its role in oesophagogastric ulcers in swine bred and regularly slaughtered in Piedmont (Northern Italy). Stomachs from 595 regularly slaughtered swine were subjected to gross pathological examination in order to evaluate the presence of gastric ulcers (revealed in 75 cases, 12.6%). Histopathological examination was performed to better characterise erosions and ulcers. DNA extracted from gastric mucus collected from all the ulcer-affected and from 25 normal stomachs was submitted to PCR using Helicobacter spp. 16S rRNA gene target primers. Sixty-three percent (47/75) of the affected stomachs was positive as well as 24% (6/25) of the non-affected ones. Sequence analysis from 5 positive samples showed 99% homology with Helicobacter candidatus suis 16S ribosomal RNA gene.

Abstract Objective—To determine whether Ctenocephalides felis can transmit Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (Mhm) through hematophagous activity between cats. Animals—11 cats. Procedure—2 cats were carriers of either Mhf or Mhm. Nine cats had negative results via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for Mhf and Mhm DNA; 3 of those cats were infected from the chronic carriers via IV inoculation of blood. At the time of maximum organism count for each of the Mycoplasma spp, 1 chamber containing 100 C felis was bandaged to the amplifier cats. Five days later, fleas, feces, larvae, or eggs from each chamber were analyzed for Mycoplasma spp DNA. Viable fleas from the chambers were allocated into new chambers (3 Mhm and 6 Mhf) and attached to naïve cats for 5 days. Cats were monitored daily for clinical signs and weekly via CBC and PCR assay for infection with Mhf or Mhm for a minimum of 8 weeks. Results—Uptake of Mhf and Mhm DNA into fleas, feces, and, potentially, eggs and larvae was detected. Of the naïve cats fed on by Mhf-infected fleas, 1 cat transiently yielded positive PCR assay results for Mhf on 1 sampling date without clinical or hematologic changes consistent with Mhf infection. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that hematophagous transfer of Mhm and Mhf into fleas occurred and that C felis is a possible vector for Mhf via hematophagous activity. (Am J Vet Res 2005;66:1008–1012)

Blood samples from 426 healthy and sick cats in the UK were tested in a PCR assay for ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ and Mycoplasma haemofelis (basonym Haemobartonella felis ). Seventy‐two of the cats (16·9 per cent) were positive for ‘Candidatus M haemominutum’ alone, six (1·4 per cent) were positive for M haemofelis alone and one (0·2 per cent) was positive for both. Logistic regression analysis indicated that older male cats were significantly more likely to be infected with ‘Candidatus M haemominutum’, but there was no significant association between it and any of the haematological variables measured. M haemofelis infection was uncommon in the anaemic cats sampled, and there were too few positive cases for multivariable analysis to be performed for M haemofelis ‐positive status.