Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How gut bacteria relate to inflammation in cats with IBD
By Janeczko, S et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The relationship of mucosal bacteria to duodenal histopathology, cytokine mRNA, and clinical disease activity in cats with inflammatory bowel disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with gastrointestinal issues, including vomiting and diarrhea, were studied to understand how bacteria in their intestines might relate to their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Researchers found that cats with IBD had more harmful bacteria compared to healthy cats, and this was linked to more severe intestinal inflammation and symptoms. The study suggests that the types and amounts of bacteria in the gut could play a role in causing or worsening IBD in cats. Treatment options for IBD often include dietary changes and medications to reduce inflammation, which can help manage the symptoms.
People also search for: cat vomiting diarrhea treatment · feline inflammatory bowel disease diet · cat gut bacteria and health
Abstract
Feline inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the term applied to a group of poorly understood enteropathies that are considered a consequence of uncontrolled intestinal inflammation in response to a combination of elusive environmental, enteric microbial, and immunoregulatory factors in genetically susceptible cats. The present study sought to examine the relationship of mucosal bacteria to intestinal inflammation and clinical disease activity in cats with inflammatory bowel disease. Duodenal biopsies were collected from 27 cats: 17 undergoing diagnostic investigation of signs of gastrointestinal disease, and 10 healthy controls. Subjective duodenal histopathology ranged from normal (10), through mild (6), moderate (8), and severe (3) IBD. The number and spatial distribution of mucosal bacteria was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes to 16S rDNA. Mucosal inflammation was evaluated by objective histopathology and cytokine profiles of duodenal biopsies. The number of mucosa-associated Enterobacteriaceae was higher in cats with signs of gastrointestinal disease than healthy cats (P<0.001). Total numbers of mucosal bacteria were strongly associated with changes in mucosal architecture (P<0.001) and the density of cellular infiltrates, particularly macrophages (P<0.002) and CD3(+)lymphocytes (P<0.05). The number of Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, and Clostridium spp. correlated with abnormalities in mucosal architecture (principally atrophy and fusion), upregulation of cytokine mRNA (particularly IL-1, -8 and -12), and the number of clinical signs exhibited by the affected cats. These data establish that the density and composition of the mucosal flora is related to the presence and severity of intestinal inflammation in cats and suggest that mucosal bacteria are involved in the etiopathogenesis of feline IBD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18054447/