Dietary effects on the presence of ulcers and urease producing organisms in the stomach of weaner pigs

Oesophagogastric ulceration (OGU) occurs frequently in swine, and numerous dietary factors have been incriminated in its aetiology (3). Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter heilmannii are recognised as causative agents of gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers in humans (2). Recently a strong association between the presence of Helicobacter heilmannii and the occurrence of OGU was demonstrated in pigs (1,5). \n \nHelicobacter species produce large quantities of the enzyme urease (2). As mammalian cells are unable to produce this enzyme, a positive urease activity in gastric biopsies can be interpreted as indicating the presence of urease producing microorganisms (UPM). \n \nIn this study a combined dietary and microbiological experiment was carried out to investigate the relationship between diet, the presence of UPM and the incidence of gastric lesions in weaner pigs.