Use of a urea breath test to evaluate short-term treatments for cats naturally infected with Helicobacter heilmannii.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate efficacy of 3 short-term treatments in cats naturally infected with Helicobacter heilmannii.


METHODS
29 cats infected with H heilmannii that had positive results for a urea breath test, rapid urease test, and Helicobacter species-specific polymerase chain reaction test.


METHODS
Cats anesthetized for routine surgical procedures were randomly allocated to 4 groups: group 1, control cats; group 2, cats treated with azithromycin, tinidazole, ranitidine, and bismuth once daily for 4 days; group 3, cats treated with clarithromycin, metronidazole, ranitidine, and bismuth twice daily for 4 days; and group 4, cats treated with clarithromycin, metronidazole, ranitidine, and bismuth twice daily for 7 days. Efficacy was determined on the basis of results of a urea breath test performed 10 and 42 days after end of treatment.


RESULTS
Ten days after treatment, 0 of 4, 4 of 6, 11 of 11, and 8 of 8 cats in groups 1 to 4, respectively, had a negative result for a urea breath test. Forty-two days after treatment, 0 of 4, 3 of 6, 7 of 11, and 4 of 8 cats in groups 1 to 4, respectively, still had a negative result.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatments used in this study regularly suppressed breath 13CO2 production. However, although 23 of 25 (92%) cats had negative results for a urea breath test 10 days after treatment, only 14 of 25 (56%) cats still had negative results 42 days after treatment. It is difficult to achieve a definitive long-term cure in cats naturally infected with H heilmannii.
Division of Gastroenterology Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland.
R
R
Neiger
G
G
Seiler
A
A
Schmassmann
D000818:Animals; D000863:Antacids / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000662:veterinary; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000187:drug effects*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014508:Urea / Q000737:chemistry
D000863:Antacids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D014011:Tinidazole; D008795:Metronidazole; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D017963:Azithromycin; D011899:Ranitidine; D014508:Urea; D017291:Clarithromycin; D001729:Bismuth