Förekomst av Helicobacter spp. hos hund : samband med hepatit/pankreatit?

Abstract: To date, the genus Helicobacter consist of 26 different species and even more species are yet to be characterized. Helicobacter has been detected in connection with diseases in the liver and pancreas in humans and animals. Helicobacter spp. are gram negative, curved, S-shaped or spiral shaped bacteria. They are microaerophilic and have flagella that make them motile. Helicobacter, present in the gastric mucosa neutralize the gastric acid through production of urease that hydrolyses urea to ammonia and bicarbonate. Ammonia has toxic effects on the gastric epithelium. The bacteria make way through the gastric mucus layer and adhere to epithelial cells in the gastric mucosal layer. The flagella and the urease are essential for enabling colonization. It is likely that it is strong resistance to bile that enables some species to colonize the liver. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a possible association between hepatitis/pancreatitis and Helicobacter infection. Furthermore to find out if it is possible to measure antibodies against Helicobacter in dogs and if it is possible to use serology as a diagnostic method in dogs. The aim of the study was also to compare presence of Helicobacter spp. in faeces to serology in healthy dogs. Tissue samples from healthy dogs and dogs with diagnosed pancreatitis/hepatitis, as well as stool samples from healthy dogs, were analysed by PCR regarding occurrence of Helicobacter DNA. Content of antibodies in serum from 51 healthy dogs was analysed by immunoblot and ELISA. DNA from Helicobacter could not be detected in any of the tissue samples. DNA from Helicobacter was detected in all stool samples, in most samples Helicobacter canis and in some Helicobacter. sp. flexispira. Immunoblot and ELISA results points to overall very high antibody reactivity against Helicobacter canis and Helicobacter bilis. Further work is needed to find out whether Helicobacter can cause hepatitis and pancreatitis in dogs and it is also important to improve the method for evaluation of antibodies against Helicobacter spp. in dogs.