The cytolethal distending toxin among Helicobacter pullorum strains from human and poultry origin

Helicobacter pullorum has been associated with diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and liver disease in humans and with hepatitis and enteritis in poultry. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether cytolethal distending toxin was present among 10 poultry and three human H. pullorum isolates and whether a different level of cytolethal distending toxin activity was noted. A PCR assay was performed to detect the cdtB gene. In addition, epithelial Hep-2 cells inoculated with sonicate from all strains were observed microscopically and DNA analysis of these cells was done by flow cytometry. All H. pullorum isolates harboured the cdtB gene, but functional cytolethal distending toxin activity was only demonstrated in the human H. pullorum strain CCUG 33839. A significant number of cells treated with sonicate from this strain were enlarged. The nuclei were distended proportionally. Giant cells and multinucleated cells were observed as well. In addition, stress fibers accumulated. DNA analysis by flow cytometry revealed 31.0% of these cells at the S/G2 stage of the cell cycle. The tested poultry and human H. pullorum isolates all possess the cdtB gene, but under the circumstances adopted in this study only the human strain CCUG 33839 seems to show biological activity typically for CDT in vitro.