This response appeared dependent on contact between the IECs and the organism. The IL-8 response seen did not appear to vary drastically between different PF-02341066 cell line strains and was more dependent on the cell line used. This perhaps suggests that host factors are more important in H. pullorum pathogenicity than variations between strains. A Canadian study examined

seven clinical CLO isolates from faecal samples taken over 3 years from two children and three adults with symptoms of gastroenteritis (Melito et al., 2001). On detailed phenotypic and genotypic analysis, these organisms were described as a novel species, Helicobacter winghamensis (NLEP 97–1090, NLEP 98-2019, NLEP 98-2020, NLEP 98-2021, NLEP 99-4873, NLEP 97-1611, NLEP 98-0305). The authors rightly state that although

Campylobacter spp. are one of the most common causes of bacterial gastroenteritis, Selleck EX527 their identification is often the result of limited phenotypic analysis (Gram stain, microscopic morphology, microaerobic growth, catalase, oxidase+/− hippuricase activity). It is not clear how many novel or unusual Campylobacter or Helicobacter organisms are misclassified by this limited approach, but organisms such as H. winghamensis may well play a larger role in enteric disease than currently thought. Indeed, a South African study investigating diarrhoeal isolates from children isolated organisms from each genus and also demonstrated that mixed infection in this population was common (Lastovica, 2000). Another study of Canadian diarrhoeal isolates, which had been identified as H. pullorum by biochemical, RFLP and fatty-acid analysis, identified that four of the 11 samples belonged to a novel species, Helicobacter canadensis (NLEP-16143, NLEP-16767, NLEP-17813 NLEP-99-3017) (Fox et al., 2000). new No clinical information exists about the patients from whom these organisms were isolated.

This study again shows the difficulty in accurately identifying Helicobacter to species level without molecular analysis. Helicobacter pullorum has since been cultured from the blood of a man with a nonspecific, febrile illness (Tee et al., 2001). Among his symptoms, the man had generalized abdominal pain sufficient to warrant a laparoscopy and profuse diarrhoea. He was initially treated with ceftriaxone, but he then completed a treatment course of ciprofloxacin. Helicobacter canadensis has also been identified in wild barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) (Waldenstrom et al., 2003) and porcine faeces (Inglis et al., 2006), again suggesting the possibility of zoonotic or indeed foodborne transmission. The first attempt to identify Helicobacter organisms in tissue from patients with IBD was by Bell et al. (2003). This study utilized various PCR primers to probe for organisms from the Helicobacter genus, H. pylori and Helicobacter heilmanii-like organisms within colonic tissue. Thirty patients were recruited of whom nine had CD, 11 had UC and 10 were controls.