Background: Helicobacter pylori is a major cause of gastric diseases including gastric cancer. This study was aimed to explore whether hydrotalcite can inhibit H. pylori infection of gastric epithelial cells. Methods: the gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 and the gastric cancer cell line BGC823 were infected with H. pylori at multiplicities of infections (MOIs) of 50:1 and 100:1. Hydrotalcite was added to cell cultures. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle analysis were performed to measure the situation of cell growth. The main changes of cell ultrastructure were observed by transmission electron microscopy. H. pylori cell adhesion was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Results: hydrotalcite could significantly inhibit cell apoptosis of GES-1 and cell proliferation of BGC823 induced by H. pylori infection at an MOI of 50:1. Hydrotalcite treatment protected gastric cells from H. pylori infection, and H. pylori adhesion to gastric cells was reduced. However, hydrotalcite could not reverse damage induced by H. pylori infection at an MOI of 100:1. Conclusion: hydrotalcite can protect gastric cells from H. pylori infection when cell damage is not serious. It can weaken the damage of cells induced by H. pylori and decrease H. pylori adhesion to gastric cells.

This study focuses on mapping the life cycle of Cryptosporidium muris in two laboratory rodents; BALB/c mice and the southern multimammate rat Mastomys coucha, differing in their prepatent and patent periods. Both rodents were simultaneously experimentally inoculated with viable oocysts of C. muris (strain TS03). Animals were dissected and screened for the presence of the parasite using a combined morphological approach and nested PCR (SSU rRNA) at different times after inoculation. The occurrence of first developmental stages of C. muris in stomach was detected at 2·5 days post-infection (dpi). The presence of Type II merogony, appearing 36 h later than Type I merogony, was confirmed in both rodents. Oocysts exhibiting different size and thickness of their wall were observed from 5 dpi onwards in stomachs of both host models. The early phase of parasitization in BALB/c mice progressed rapidly, with a prepatent period of 7·5–10 days; whereas in M. coucha, the developmental stages of C. muris were first observed 12 h later in comparison with BALB/c mice and prepatent period was longer (18–21 days). Similarly, the patent periods of BALB/c mice and M. coucha differed considerably, i.e. 10–15 days vs chronic infection throughout the life of the host, respectively.

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is extremely prevalent in both racing and non-racing horse populations. The exact aetiology of EGUS is unclear but many stress related risk factors have been implicated including the feeding of grain-based diets. Current treatment techniques often necessitate drug therapy which, when added to feed costs, can be expensive and may have a detrimental effect on digestion due to the mode of action of these therapies. The following experiment set out to investigate if feeding fermented, forage-based feeds (Modified Bio-Fermentation (MBF) lucerne feeds treated with Xanotyde®, registered as FiberProtect® and FiberEdge®; Fiber Fresh Feeds Ltd, Reporoa, New Zealand), could assist in the healing and prevention of ulceration. Nine adult horses with demonstrable and sustained gastric ulceration (diagnosed by gastric endoscopy), were used in a two part study. The first 42 d healing phase investigated the impact of feeding FiberProtect® (FPT) or FiberEdge® (FED) on established gastric ulcers. After 14 d on these diets 44% (4/9) of horses had no ulceration or hyperaemia (inflammation) (EGUC grade 0) and all horses were ulcer free (EGUC grade 0) at d 42. A significant (P < 0.01) relationship was determined between length of time fed and disappearance of ulcers (R2 = 0.9004; DF = 2). The prevention phase utilised the same horses, ulcer-free at d 42, and fed them a grain-based high energy racing diet alongside FPT at 40% and 60% of the total diet (DM basis). The horses were monitored for a further 28 d (d 42 – d 70), and only three showed a recurrence of ulceration throughout this period. At d 70, eight out of nine horses were ulcer free (EGUC grade 0). The findings suggest that FPT and FED can be used to heal and prevent gastric ulceration, and that FPT can be fed alongside a high grain diet to prevent recurrence of gastric ulcers.

D+ (high digestion efficiency) and D− (low digestion efficiency) genetic chicken lines selected for divergent digestion efficiency were compared in this experiment. Gizzard functions were tested in terms of digesta mean retention time and reactions to high dilution of a corn diet with 15% coarse sunflower hulls. The corn standard (S) and high fibre (F) experimental diets were given from 9 days of age to chickens from both lines. Besides the measurements of growth efficiencies (9 to 20 days), digestibilities (20 to 23 days) and gut anatomy (0, 9, 29, 42 and 63 days), two digestive transit studies were performed at 9 and 29 days of age. For the transit studies, the S and F diets were labelled with 0.5% TiO2 and 1% Cr-mordanted sunflower hulls. These diets were fed ad libitum during 3 days, and then the birds were euthanized. The digestive contents were analysed for the determination of marker concentrations and mean retention times (MRTs) in digestive compartments (crop + oesophagus, proventriculus + gizzard, duodenum + jejunum, ileum, rectum + cloaca and caeca) were determined. D+ birds were confirmed as better digesters than D− birds during the growth period, in association with larger gizzard and pancreas, and lighter small intestine in D+ than in D−birds. The MRT in the proventriculus-gizzard system, higher in D+ than in D− birds, was a major factor associated with differences between D+ and D− birds regarding digestion efficiencies and gut anatomy. Diet dilution with fibres reduced differences in digestion efficiencies and proventriculus-gizzard MRT between lines. Differences in gut anatomy between lines tended to disappear after 8 weeks of age. In conclusion, this study showed that MRT in the proventriculus-gizzard system was a major factor associated with genotype differences between the D+ and D− genetic chicken lines selected for divergent digestion efficiency, with longer MRT found in D+ than in D− birds.

There is no information about the prevalence of gastric ulceration in donkeys or potential risk factors for its presence in donkeys. The donkey is a stoic, hardy animal that has not previously been thought to suffer from this disease. However, gastric ulceration was found to be a problem in a population of non-working UK donkeys resident at the Donkey Sanctuary and its prevalence was estimated by examining necropsy data over a 2-year period during 2005 to 2006. Associations with clinical and management factors were determined. In total, 426 donkeys were examined at necropsy to determine the presence of gastric ulceration. Lesions were described and scored according to a four-point scale. Management and clinical data from these donkeys were analysed to identify potential risk factors for the presence of gastric ulceration. Terminal blood samples were also studied to determine whether animals were exhibiting hyperlipaemia prior to death. Results showed that 41% (n = 174) of the donkeys studied had evidence of gastric ulceration at necropsy. Most (49%) of the ulcers were of a medium size (area of ⩾2 cm2 – <10 cm2) and the most common site for ulcers was the margo plicatus. Of the donkeys examined, 18% had hyperlipaemia prior to or death or euthanasia and this was a risk factor for donkeys developing gastric ulceration; 62% of hyperlipaemia cases also displayed gastric ulceration (P < 0.001). Kidney disease was a potential risk factor (P = 0.02), with 74% of these animals having gastric ulceration. Donkeys that died or were euthanased due to respiratory disease were at a decreased risk of developing ulceration (P = 0.01) Donkeys fed a carbohydrate-based diet were more likely (P < 0.001) to have gastric ulceration than those fed a fibre-only diet, with 55% having gastric ulceration compared with 33% in the fibre-only group. This study has shown that gastric ulceration is commonly observed in donkeys at necropsy and may be extensive.