title: Genetic characterization and epidemiology of Helicobacters in non-domestic animals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Novel helicobacter infections and associated disease are being recognized with increasing frequency in animals and people. Yet, the pervasiveness of infection in distantly related animal taxa, genetic diversity of helicobacters, and their transmissability are not known.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To better understand the ecology of helicobacters, we did a PCR survey and epidemiologic analysis of 154 captive or wild vertebrate taxa originating from 6 continents.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty nine helicobacter 16s rRNA gene segments were amplified by PCR and sequenced from ninety-three mammalian, reptilian, avian, or amphibian host species. Prevalence estimates were generated, and univariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore relationships between infection status and the health and characteristics of the 220 individual animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and nineteen novel helicobacter DNA sequences were found. No significant relationship between infection and host health was found; however, multi-infection or infections with particular genotypes were associated with mild clinical signs. Phylogenetic and genetic comparisons of helicobacters suggested prolonged co-adaptation and niche-associated divergence as well as periodic inter-species transmission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The genus Helicobacter should accordingly be viewed as a collection of hundreds of organisms that have colonized most tetrapod taxa and have the potential to expand into new hosts as contact among animals and between animals and people increases.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research, Wildlife Disease Laboratories, Escondido, CA 92027, USA. mschrenzel@sandiegozoo.org
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schrenzel
authors.forename: Carmel L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bahl
authors.forename: Tammy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Niora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fabian
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Greger
authors.forename: Chrissie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Siltamaki
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Rideout
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S