Occurrence and species level diagnostics of Campylobacter spp., enteric Helicobacter spp. and Anaerobiospirillum spp. in healthy and diarrheic dogs and cats

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2008-06, Vol.129 (3), p.304-314
• Main Authors: Rossi, M., Hänninen, M.L., Revez, J., Hannula, M., Zanoni, R.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaerobiospirillum; Anaerobiospirillum - classification; Anaerobiospirillum - drug effects; Anaerobiospirillum - isolation & purification; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotic resistance; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - classification; Campylobacter - drug effects; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; Campylobacter Infections - diagnosis; Campylobacter Infections - drug therapy; Campylobacter Infections - microbiology; Campylobacter Infections - veterinary; Campylobacter lari; campylobacteriosis; Canis; cat diseases; Cat Diseases - diagnosis; Cat Diseases - drug therapy; Cat Diseases - microbiology; cats; Cats - microbiology; Co-infection; Diagnostic; diagnostic techniques; diarrhea; Diarrhea - diagnosis; Diarrhea - drug therapy; Diarrhea - microbiology; Diarrhea - veterinary; dog diseases; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - drug therapy; Dog Diseases - microbiology; dogs; Dogs - microbiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; enteropathogens; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - veterinary; Helicobacter; Helicobacter - classification; Helicobacter - drug effects; Helicobacter - isolation & purification; Helicobacter Infections - diagnosis; Helicobacter Infections - drug therapy; Helicobacter Infections - microbiology; Helicobacter Infections - veterinary; Microbial Sensitivity Tests - veterinary; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; mixed infection; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Prevalence; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; species differences; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.11.014

In order to study the occurrence and co-infection of different species of Campylobacter, enteric Helicobacter and Anaerobiospirillum in dogs and cats and define a possible association between these microrganisms and gastrointestinal disorders, 190 dogs and 84 cats, either healthy or with diarrhea, were sampled between 2002 and 2003. Thirty-three C. upsaliensis, 17 C. jejuni, 2 C. helveticus, 1 C. lari isolates from dogs and 14 C. helveticus, 7 C. jejuni, 6 C. upsaliensis isolates from cats were identified using species-specific PCR and phenotypic tests. Whole cell protein profile analysis, phenotypic tests, PCR-RFLP of gyrB and a phylogenetic study of partial groEL and 16S rRNA sequences were used to identify 37 H. bilis, 22 H. canis and 14 H. cinaedi in dogs and 12 H. canis, 5 H. bilis and 2 H. cinaedi in cats. Whole cell protein profile analysis, phenotypic tests and species-specific PCR of 16S rRNA were used to identify 14 A. succiniciproducens, 12 A. thomasii isolates and one unidentified Anaerobiospirillum sp. isolate in dogs and 3 A. thomasii isolates in cats. Fifty-two animals (19%) were positive for the isolation of more than one genus. No significant statistical correlation was found between any isolates of Campylobacter, Helicobacter or Anaerobiospirillum spp. or the various co-infection rates, and the presence of diarrhea in either dogs or cats. Campylobacter isolates were also tested for antibiotic resistance using the agar dilution method.