Abstract
Numerous studies implicateHelicobacter pylori as one causative agent producing gastritis and dyspepsia. Recent reports focus on another bacterium,Gastrospirillum hominis, as a possible pathogen producing gastritis. We report a 30-year-old researcher who became acutely ill with epigastric pain indicative of esophagitis or peptic ulcer disease. Gastritis and a gastric ulcer were observed endoscopically. Histological examination of the gastric mucosa revealed an acute gastritis and large spiral-shaped organisms. The spiral forms were present in large quantities in the gastric mucosa of experimental animals (cats) handled by the patient in his research. Electron microscopy confirmed that the organisms from the cat and patient were morphologically identical. The patient was successfully treated with bismuth subsalicylate. His symptoms resolved and the organisms were cleared from his stomach. This study provides evidence that another bacterium, aGastrospirillum, may cause gastritis in man and may be transmitted from animal to man.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Warren JR, Marshall B: Unidentified curved bacilli of gastric epithelium in active chronic gastritis. Lancet 2:1273–1275, 1983
Marshall B, Warren J, Francis G, Langston S, Goodwin C, Blincow E: Rapid urease test in the management ofCampylobacter pyloridis-associated gastritis. Am J Gastroenterol 82:200–210, 1987
Graham DY:Campylobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease. Gastroenterology 96:615–625, 1989
Blaser M: Campylobacter-like organisms, gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Gastroenterology 93:371–383, 1987
Dye KR, Marshall BJ, Frierson HF, Guerrant RL, McCallum RW: Ultrastructure of another spiral organism associated with human gastritis. Dig Dis Sci 34:1787–1791, 1989
Morris A, Rafiq Ali M, Thomsen L, Hollis B: Tightly spiral shaped bacteria in the human stomach: Another cause of active chronic gastritis. Gut 31:139–143, 1990
McNutly CAM, Dent JC, Curry A, Uff Js, Ford GA, Gear MWL, Wilkinson SP: New spiral bacterium in gastric mucosa. J Clin Pathol 42:585–591, 1989
Flejou JF, Diomande I, Molas G, Goldfain D, Rotenberg A, Florent M, Potet F: Human chronic gastritis associated with non-Helicobacter pylori spiral organisms (Gastrospirillum hominis). Four cases and review of the literature. Gastroenterol Clin Biol 14:806–810, 1990
Ierardi E, Monno R, Mongelli A, Allegretta L, Milone E, Rizzi S, Panza P, Coppolecchia P, Francavilla A: Gastrospirillum Hominis associated chronic active gastritis: The first report from Italy. Ital J Gastroenterol 23:86–87, 1991
Wegmann W, Aschwanden M, Schaub N, Aenishanslin W, Gyr K: Gastritis associated withGastrospirillum hominis—a zoonosis? Schweiz Med Wochenschr 121:245–254, 1991
Borody TJ, George LL, Brandl S, Andrews P, Ostapowicz N, Hyland L, Devine M: Helicobacter pylori-negative duodenal ulcer. Am J Gastroenterol 86:1154–1157, 1991
Nakshabendi IM, Peebles SE, Lee FD, Russell RI: Spiral shaped microorganisms in the human duodenal mucosa. Postgrad Med J 67:846–847, 1991
Lee A, Hazell SL, O'Rourke J, Kouprach S: Isolation of a spiral-shaped bacterium from the cat stomach. Infect Immun 56:2843–2850, 1988
Eaton KA, Radin MJ, Kramer L, Wack R, Sherding R, Krakowka S, Morgan DR: Gastric spiral bacilli in captive cheetahs. Scand J Gastroenterol (Suppl) 181:38–42, 1991
Weber AF, Schmittdiel EF: Electron microscopic and bacteriologic studies ofSpirilla isolated from the fundic stomachs of cats and dogs. Am J Vet Res 23:422–427, 1962
Queiroz DMM, Rocha GA, Mendes EN, Lage AP, Carvalho CT, Barbosa AJA: A spiral organism in the stomach of pigs. Vet Microbiol 24:199–204, 1990
Mendes EN, Queiroz DM, Rocha GA, Moura SB, Leite VH, Fonseca ME: Ultrastructure of a spiral micro-organism from pig gastric mucosa (“Gastrospirillum suis”). J Med Microbiol 33:61–66, 1990
Mendes EN, Queiroz DM, Rocha GA, Nogueira AM, Carvalho AC, Lage AP, Barbosa AJ: Histological study of porcine gastric mucosa with and without a spiral bacterium (“Gastrospirillum suis”). J Med Microbiol 35:345–348, 1991
Dubois A, Tarnawaski A, Newell DG, Fials N, Dabros W, Stachura J, Krivan H, Heman Ackah LM: Gastric injury and invasion of parietal cells by spiral bacteria in rhesus monkeys. Gastroenterology 100:884–891, 1991
Lee A, Fox JG, Otto G, Dick EH, Krakowka S: Transmission of Helicobacter spp. A challenge to the dogma of faecal-oral spread. Epidemiol Infect 107:99–109, 1991
Salomon H: Ueber das spirillum des saugeriermagens und sein verhalten zu den gelegzellen. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol 19:433–441, 1986
Lee A, Dent J, Hazell S, McNulty CAM: Origin of spiral organisms in human gastric antrum. Lancet 1:300–301, 1988
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Support was provided by a VA Merit Grant.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lavelle, J.P., Landas, S., Mitros, F.A. et al. Acute gastritis associated with spiral organisms from cats. Digest Dis Sci 39, 744–750 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087417
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087417