Open AccessHepatobiliary Inflammation, Neoplasia, and Argyrophilic Bacteria in a Ferret Colony
Author(s) -
Alexis García,
Susan E. Erdman,
Shilu Xu,
Yan Feng,
Arlin B. Rogers,
Mark D. Schrenzel,
James C. Murphy,
James G. Fox
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
veterinary pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.794
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1544-2217
pISSN - 0300-9858
DOI - 10.1354/vp.39-2-173
Subject(s) - biology , helicobacter , bacteria , pathology , polymerase chain reaction , hyperplasia , inflammation , disease , helicobacter pylori , immunology , medicine , genetics , gene
Hepatobiliary disease was diagnosed in eight of 34 genetically unrelated cohabitating pet ferrets ( Mustela putorios furo) during a 7-year period. The eight ferrets ranged in age from 5 to 8 years and exhibited chronic cholangiohepatitis coupled with cellular proliferation ranging from hyperplasia to frank neoplasia. Spiral- shaped argyrophilic bacteria were demonstrated in livers of three ferrets, including two with carcinoma. Sequence analysis of a 400-base pair polymerase chain reaction product amplified from DNA derived from fecal bacteria from one ferret demonstrated 98% and 97% similarity to Helicobacter cholecystus and Helicobacter sp. strain 266-11, respectively. The clustering of severe hepatic disease in these cohabitating ferrets suggests a possible infectious etiology. The role of Helicobacter species and other bacteria in hepatitis and/or neoplasia in ferrets requires further study.