title: Eradication of enteric helicobacters in Mongolian gerbils is complicated by the occurrence of Clostridium difficile enterotoxemia.
abstract: Outbred Mongolian gerbils from a United States commercial source were examined for colonization with naturally occurring enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. Helicobacter spp. were identified in the cecum and colon by culture and by using genus-specific primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Nutritionally balanced triple-antibiotic wafers (containing amoxicillin, metronidazole, and bismuth) used previously to eliminate helicobacter infections in mice were administered in an attempt to eradicate the naturally occurring novel helicobacters in the gerbils. After 7 days of antibiotic treatment, two of the experimental animals died due to Clostridium difficile-associated enterotoxemia. However, at 3 weeks after antibiotic cessation, the surviving three animals had no Helicobacter spp. in the cecum or colon according to PCR analysis. Eradication of Helicobacter spp. using dietary administration of antibiotics was complicated by the presence of toxin-producing C. difficile. An alternate method to develop helicobacter-free gerbils (such as Caesarian rederivation) may be necessary.
authors.affiliation: Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Ingrid L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Bergin
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Prashant R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007422:Intestines; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents