Helicobacter species and gastric ulceration in horses: a clinical study

The goal of this study was to gather more clinical information about the relationship between Helicobacter species and gastric ulceration in horses. Twenty seven privately owned patients were selected for the clinical study. All horses were gastroscopically examined and biopsies were taken from the glandular mucosa. Stomach biopsies were examined using a PCR assay specific for Helicobacter pylori and/or Helicobacter equorum. In addition, faecal samples from thirteen horses were examined using a PCR assay specific for H. equorum. Twenty five horses (25/27; 93%) had lesions in their stomach. Gastric biopsies from twenty two horses were examined using the H. pylori specific PCR and the ure gene was detected in three of them (3/22; 14%). H. equorum DNA was not found in the stomach of any of the ten horses examined. H. equorum was diagnosed in only one faecal sample from the thirteen horses examined (1/13; 8%) and that case was not associated with gastric pathology. This study shows the possibility of sporadic detection of the ure gene in the equine stomach affected by mucosal ulceration.