{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T14:12:53Z","timestamp":1776867173844,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,10]],"date-time":"2022-05-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1652140800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["SFRH\/BD\/139669\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SFRH\/BD\/139669\/2018"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In addition to Helicobacter pylori, many non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacters (NHPH) are able to cause gastric disease in humans. Cats are a natural reservoir for many of these species. Accordingly, living in close and intimate contact with animals has been identified as a risk factor, and an important zoonotic significance has therefore been attributed to NHPH. To determine the prevalence and associated gastric histopathological changes of Helicobacter species, the gastric mucosa of 71 cats were evaluated. Only four presented normal histopathological mucosa with the absence of spiral-shaped organisms. Normal gastric mucosa and the presence of spiral-shaped bacteria were observed in 13 cats. The remaining animals presented histopathological changes representative of gastritis. Helicobacter species were detected in 53 cats (74.6%) by at least one detection method. None of the animals were positive for H. pylori or for H. ailurogastricus. Helicobacter heilmannii organisms were identified in 20 animals, predominantly in the body gastric region. Helicobacter salomonis was the second most prevalent species (57.1%), although it was mainly found in association with other NHPH. Helicobacter felis and H. bizzozeronii were less frequently detected. The great majority of the Helicobacter spp. PCR-positive animals presented normal features regarding fibrosis\/mucosal atrophy, neutrophils, eosinophils, or other inflammatory cells and lymphofollicular hyperplasia. Given the controversy and the strong evidence of absence of significant histopathological alterations associated with the presence of Helicobacter spp. in cats, it is possible to hypothesize that these bacteria may be able to adapt to the feline gastric microenvironment or even to comprise part of the gastric microbiome of this animal species. Thus, prudency must be taken when prescribing an antibiotic therapy based solely on the presence of these bacteria in the feline stomach.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci9050228","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,10]],"date-time":"2022-05-10T23:39:36Z","timestamp":1652225976000},"page":"228","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Helicobacter spp. in the Stomach of Cats: Successful Colonization and Absence of Relevant Histopathological Alterations Reveals High Adaptation to the Host Gastric Niche"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"S\u00edlvia","family":"Teixeira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1266-0992","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dulce","family":"Filipe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"VetFilipe, 4740-674 Barcelos, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Manuela","family":"Cerqueira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (IPVC), Agrarian School, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Patr\u00edcia","family":"Barradas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"University Institute of Health Sciences, Advanced Polytechnic and University Cooperative (CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6638-9782","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francisco","family":"Cortez Nunes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"F\u00e1tima","family":"Faria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1709-933X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Freddy","family":"Haesebrouck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B9820 Ghent, Belgium"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8769-8103","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o R.","family":"Mesquita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Clinics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5302-0086","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"F\u00e1tima","family":"G\u00e4rtner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2305-1631","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Irina","family":"Amorim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2014School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,5,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5607","DOI":"10.1099\/ijsem.0.004332","article-title":"List of Procaryotic Names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN) Moves to DSMZ","volume":"70","author":"Parte","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. 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