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The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of gastric Helicobacter-like organisms and the endoscopic and histopathological changes in domestic cats with blood type A. Samples from the stomach antrum, body and fundus were collected from 32 mixed-breed stray domestic cats using gastroscopy. Urease testing and cytological analysis were performed in fresh samples. Tissue sections were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and the Warthin-Starry (WS) silver staining methods for histopathological examination. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 100% of samples subjected to silver staining and cytological analysis, and in 96.9% of samples subjected to urease testing. In 87.5% of the cats, mononuclear inflammatory-cell infiltrates were identified. The graduation and distribution of inflammatory infiltrates in these cats revealed mild (78.1%) to moderate (9.4%) inflammatory changes in at least one gastric region. These changes were independent of the colonization score. Hyperplasia of the lymphoid follicles was detected in three cats. Cats of blood group A are often colonized by Helicobacter spp. and the macroscopic and microscopic findings are consistent with studies in domestic cats reported to date, concluding that the most common blood group in cats is not associated with high susceptibility to symptomatic gastritis.

SummaryThe type population of Meloidogyne polycephannulata is synonymised with M. incognita based on morphological and morphometric characters, as well as biochemical, molecular and phylogenetic studies. Morphological variability and a wide host range were reported for M. incognita during its first description and later re-description. Meloidogyne polycephannulata was described in Brazil from specimens collected in a carrot field (type population). The esterase phenotype (Est) characterised for this species was identical to the phenotype Est I2 of M. incognita, the most ubiquitous phenotype used for diagnostics. Morphological and morphometric characters of the descriptions of the two nominal species showed major similarities, as well as variability within the range of variation detected in M. incognita. In PCR assays, three SCAR markers species-specific for M. incognita (incK14 F/R, Mi/FR and incB06 F/R) amplified the same fragments of 399 bp, 955 bp and 1200 bp, respectively, for populations in both species. In phylogenetic studies based either on concatenated sequences of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, D2-D3 rRNA, mitochondrial COII regions or on RAPD and AFLP data, the populations of both species grouped in the same clade with high bootstrap support. Altogether, these results provide congruent evidence that the M. polycephannulata type isolate deposited at the Embrapa Cryopreserved National Collection of Root-knot Nematodes is not a valid species but rather a junior synonym of M. incognita.

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