Analysis of the microflora in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils infected with Helicobacter pylori.
OBJECTIVE
Mongolian gerbils are frequently used to study Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis and its consequences. The presence of some gastric flora with a suppressive effect on H. pylori suggests inhibitory microflora against H. pylori infection. The aim of the present study was to analyze the microflora in the stomach of Mongolian gerbils with H. pylori infection.


METHODS
H. pylori ureA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the fecal samples of infected Mongolian gerbils. H. pylori was isolated from the gastric mucosa of the gerbils by microaerophilic cultivation. Gastric microflora were isolated by aerobic and anaerobic culture, and the identification of gastric bacterial species was performed by API20E and API20A.


RESULTS
Oral administration of H. pylori TK1402 induced colonization and gastric inflammation of the stomach of the Mongolian gerbils. According to the frequency of detection of H. pylori ureA in fecal samples, the gerbils were divided into three groups (frequently detected, moderately detected and infrequently detected). According to the analysis of the gastric microflora in the frequently and infrequently detected groups, Lactobacillus spp. and Eubacterium limosum were isolated from the former and latter group, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Some gastric flora, such as Lactobacillus spp., may inhibit colonization by H. pylori.
Zaman
Cynthia
C
Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan.
Osaki
Takako
T
Hanawa
Tomoko
T
Yonezawa
Hideo
H
Kurata
Satoshi
S
Kamiya
Shigeru
S
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005051:Eubacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014510:Urease / Q000302:isolation & purification
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014510:Urease