Age-dependent seroprevalence of antibodies against a Helicobacter pylori-like organism and Helicobacter pylori in commercially reared swine.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of antibodies against a swine-origin Helicobacter pylori-like organism (HPLO) and H pylori in conventionally reared swine.


METHODS
640 conventionally reared swine of various ages from 16 high-health farms in Canada, 20 sows from Ohio, and 35 gnotobiotic swine.


METHODS
Blood was collected from the cranial vena cava. Sera were collected and tested via ELISA for antibodies against antigen prepared from a swine-origin HPLO and human H pylori strain 26695.


RESULTS
Antibodies reactive with a swine HPLO, H pylori, or both were detected in 483 of 640 swine from all 16 farms in western Canada. Seroprevalence varied with age and was low (5.6%) in suckling (<or= 4-week-old) swine and increasingly high in swine ranging from > 4 weeks old to adulthood.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggested that colonization by a swine-origin HPLO, H pylori, or both and resultant seroconversion, like that of H pylori infection in humans, were common in commercial swine operations. Furthermore, data indicated that gastric infection was acquired at an early age. The relationships to gastric colonization by HPLOs and clinical manifestations of disease such as gastritis and gastroesophageal ulceration remain to be determined.
Ellis
John A
JA
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada.
Waldner
Cheryl L
CL
McIntosh
Kathleen A
KA
Rhodes
Carrie
C
Harding
John C
JC
Ringler
Susan S
SS
Krakowka
Steven
S
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial