idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instanz:
Teilen: 
17.04.2015 10:15

Stomach ulcers in cattle – Bacteria play only a minor role

Dr. Susanna Kautschitsch Public Relations
Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien

    Scientists at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna investigated whether stomach ulcers in cattle are related to the presence of certain bacteria. For their study, they analysed bacteria present in healthy and ulcerated cattle stomachs and found very few differences in microbial diversity. Bacteria therefore appear to play a minor role in the development of ulcers. The microbial diversity present in the stomachs of cattle has now for the first time been published in the journal Veterinary Microbiology.

    Gastritis and stomach ulcers in humans are often caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. But other factors, such as stress and nutrition, also play a role in stomach health. In cattle the weather and husbandry in general play an additional role. The etiological role of bacteria in abomasal ulcers was investigated by veterinarian Alexandra Hund of the Clinical Unit of Ruminant Medicine together with microbiologist Stephan Schmitz-Esser of the Institute for Milk Hygiene.

    “The abomasum is the last of the four stomach compartments in cattle. The three other compartments, the rumen, the reticulum and the omasum, serve to predigest the food. The abomasum is the actual stomach and is similar in anatomy and function to the human stomach. Painful gastritis and ulcers can occur in the abomasa of cattle, potentially weakening the animals, leading to perforations of the stomach and possibly even to cases of death,” first author Alexandra Hund explains.

    Microbial communities of healthy and ulcerated stomachs nearly identical

    Microbiologist Schmitz-Esser analysed stomach samples from slaughter cattle. Around half of the samples were taken from healthy cattle, the other half from cattle with low-grade abomasal ulcers. “Very sick animals are barred from slaughter,” says Alexandra Hund.

    The researchers isolated and sequenced the bacterial DNA from the stomach samples. The DNA sequences were then used to determine the type of bacteria present. “The most common were species of Helicobacter, Acetobacter, Lactobacillus and new strains of Mycoplasma. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, commonly found in humans, was not present at all. We nearly saw the same bacterial composition in healthy and ulcerated animals, which suggests that bacteria only play a minor role in the etiology of abomasal ulcers,” says Schmitz-Esser. “However, this is something we would like to underpin in future studies.”

    Different bacteria in calf stomachs

    Calf stomachs contain a relatively immature microbial biomass. This means that bacterial diversity must still develop. The primary bacteria found in calf stomachs were beneficial lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria enter the stomachs of calves through the milk that forms their main source of nutrition.

    Abomasal ulcers difficult to detect

    “Due to the very subtle symptoms of abomasal ulcers, they are very difficult to diagnose for non-experts. The abomasum is the last of the four stomach compartments and therefore not accessible to gastroscopy. We are currently working on a method for the early and rapid diagnosis of those ulcers. In any case, keeping cattle stress-free is one way of preventing stomach ulcers,” Alexandra Hund recommends.

    Service:

    The article „Characterization of mucosa-associated bacterial communities in abomasal ulcers by pyrosequencing”, by Alexandra Hund, Monika Dzieciol, Stephan Schmitz-Esser and Thomas Wittek was published in the journal Veterinary Microbiology. http://doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.02.023

    About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

    The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna in Austria is one of the leading academic and research institutions in the field of Veterinary Sciences in Europe. About 1,300 employees and 2,300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna which also houses five university clinics and various research sites. Outside of Vienna the university operates Teaching and Research Farms. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at

    Scientific Contact:
    Dr. Stephan Schmitz-Esser
    Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science
    University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)
    T +43 1 25077-3510
    stephan.schmitz-esser@vetmeduni.ac.at

    Released by:
    Susanna Kautschitsch
    Science Communication / Public Relations
    University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)
    T +43 1 25077-1153
    susanna.kautschitsch@vetmeduni.ac.at


    Weitere Informationen:

    http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/infoservice/presseinformation/press-releases-2015/...


    Bilder

    Stomach ulcers weaken the animals and cause pain.
    Stomach ulcers weaken the animals and cause pain.
    Photo: Alexandra Hund/Universitätsklinik für Wiederkäuer/Vetmeduni Vienna
    None

    Digested blood stains the feces of diseased animals black.
    Digested blood stains the feces of diseased animals black.
    Photo: Alexandra Hund/Universitätsklinik für Wiederkäuer/Vetmeduni Vienna
    None


    Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
    Journalisten, jedermann
    Biologie, Medizin, Tier / Land / Forst
    überregional
    Forschungsergebnisse, Wissenschaftliche Publikationen
    Englisch


     

    Stomach ulcers weaken the animals and cause pain.


    Zum Download

    x

    Digested blood stains the feces of diseased animals black.


    Zum Download

    x

    Hilfe

    Die Suche / Erweiterte Suche im idw-Archiv
    Verknüpfungen

    Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.

    Klammern

    Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).

    Wortgruppen

    Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.

    Auswahlkriterien

    Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).

    Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).