High prevalence and species diversity of helicobacter spp. Detected in wild house mice

Abstract

PCR diagnostics detected 100% prevalence of Helicobacter in 425 wild house mice (Mus musculus) from across central Europe. Of seven species identified, the five most frequent were Helicobacter rodentium (78%), H. typhlonius (53%), H. hepaticus (41%), H. bilis (30%), and H. muridarum (1%). Double infections were more common (42%) than single (30%) and triple (21%) infections. Wild house mice could be considered potential reservoirs of Helicobacter strains for both humans and other vertebrates. © 2012, American Society for Microbiology.