title: Did transmission of Helicobacter pylori from humans cause a disease outbreak in a colony of Stripe-faced Dunnarts (Sminthopsis macroura)?
abstract: Since the discovery that Helicobacter pylori causes a range of pathologies in the stomachs of infected humans, it has become apparent that Helicobacters are found in a diverse range of animal species where they are frequently associated with disease. In 2003 and 2004, there were two outbreaks of increased mortality associated with gastric bleeding and weight-loss in a captive colony of the Australian marsupial, the Stripe-faced Dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura). The presence of gastric pathology led to an investigation of potential Helicobacter pathogenesis in these animals. Histological examination revealed the presence of gastritis, and PCR analysis confirmed the presence of Helicobacter infection in the stomachs of these marsupials. Surprisingly, sequencing of 16S rRNA from these bacteria identified the species as H. pylori and PCR confirmed the strain to be positive for the important pathogenesis factor, cagA. We therefore describe, for the first time, an apparent reverse zoonotic infection of Stripe-faced Dunnarts with H. pylori. Already prone to pathological effects of stress (as experienced during breeding season), concomitant H. pylori infection appears to be a possible essential but not sufficient co-factor in prototypic gastric bleeding and weight loss in these marsupials. The Stripe-faced Dunnart could represent a new model for investigating Helicobacter-driven gastric pathology. Infections from their human handlers, specifically of H. pylori, may be a potential risk to captive colonies of marsupials.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. psutton@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Every
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selwood
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Castano-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Windsor
authors.forename: Janet L  K
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Swierczak
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Nadeem O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Kaakoush
authors.forename: Hazel M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sutton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008394:Marsupialia; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D014510:Urease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014739:Victoria; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori; D014510:Urease