Objectives: To determine prevalence of gastric spiral organisms (GSO) in dogs and cats that were clinically normal or had primary gastrointestinal disease and to compare histologic lesions of the stomach in dogs and cats with and without GSO.
Animals: 21 dogs and 10 cats that were clinically normal and 56 dogs and 33 cats with gastrointestinal disease.
Design: Case-control study.
Results: Unevenness of the gastric mucosal surface was detected, using endoscopic techniques in 20 and 25% of clinically normal and abnormal dogs, respectively. On histologic examination, GSO were located on the mucosal surface within or beneath the mucus, in gastric pits, and within glandular lumina in 86 and 90% of clinically normal dogs and cats, respectively, and in 61 and 64% of clinically abnormal dogs and cats, respectively. Prevalence of GSO infection in dogs and cats that were clinically abnormal was not higher than in those that were clinically normal. Infection was detected in stomachs of > 60% of dogs and cats 1 year old or less. Helicobacter pylori was not isolated from any specimen; however, specimens in which GSO were found had positive results on a urease test.
Clinical implications: Prevalence of GSO infection was high in clinically normal and abnormal dogs and cats, some of which were young. This should be considered during assessment of clinically normal animals with GSO as they can be a potential reservoir for infection in human beings.