Hepatobiliary inflammation, neoplasia, and argyrophilic bacteria in a ferret colony.
Hepatobiliary disease was diagnosed in eight of 34 genetically unrelated cohabitating pet ferrets (Mustela putorios furo) during a 7-year period. The eight ferrets ranged in age from 5 to 8 years and exhibited chronic cholangiohepatitis coupled with cellular proliferation ranging from hyperplasia to frank neoplasia. Spiral-shaped argyrophilic bacteria were demonstrated in livers of three ferrets, including two with carcinoma. Sequence analysis of a 400-base pair polymerase chain reaction product amplified from DNA derived from fecal bacteria from one ferret demonstrated 98% and 97% similarity to Helicobacter cholecystus and Helicobacter sp. strain 266-1 , respectively. The clustering of severe hepatic disease in these cohabitating ferroes suggests a possible infectious etiology. The role of Helicobacter species and other bacteria in hepatitis and/or neoplasia in ferrets requires further study.
García
A
A
Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. agarcia@mit.edu
Erdman
S E
SE
Xu
S
S
Feng
Y
Y
Rogers
A B
AB
Schrenzel
M D
MD
Murphy
J C
JC
Fox
J G
JG
D000818:Animals; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D003537:Cystadenoma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006520:Hepatitis, Animal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000662:veterinary; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D004269:DNA, Bacterial