Helicobacter mustelae 12198

Helicobacter mustelae is a gastric pathogen of ferrets (Mustela putorius), and was the second member of the genus identified. H. mustelae cells are smaller and typically less helical than those of H. pylori, with lateral as well as bipolar flagella. H. mustelae is virtually endemic in ferrets and other mustelids, and like H. pylori, stimulates a humoral immune response which does not clear the infection. Experimentally infected ferrets develop a gastritis which closely resembles the diffuse antral gastritis seen in some adults, and in children. Ferret gastric epithelial cell proliferation increases upon H. mustelae infection, and the bacterium has been linked to gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma in the infected ferret. Ulcer formation in H. mustelae-infected ferrets is also common; H. mustelae infection of ferrets is the only natural model of Helicobacter-associated ulcer disease, making it a unique model. Thus the knowledge base and tractability of the ferret makes it an attractive animal model for human gastric disease due to Helicobacter infection (adapted from PMID 20219135). (HAMAP: HELM1)