Urease Test in Horses: associations between positive test results and bacteria other than Helicobacter sp.

This study was designed to examine positivity rates of the urease test (UT) in gastric samples obtained from adult horses and to determine whether positive test results are associated with the presence of bacteria other than Helicobacter sp. Gastric content samples and biopsy specimens from the glandular and non glandular regions of the stomach were collected from 39 adult horses via gastroscopy. Samples were placed in tubes containing urease test medium and incubated in a water bath at 37 C for 24 h. Urease test-positive samples were submitted to bacterial culture and biochemical tests for potential isolation and identification of urease-producing bacteria. Positive UT results were obtained in eight horses. Laboratory analysis revealed the presence of Providencia sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter amalonaticus, Edwardsiella tarda, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus mirabilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In conclusion, changes in urease test medium color after more than 12 h of incubation suggest the presence of bacteria other than Helicobacter sp. However, relationships between positive UT results, types of bacteria detected, and their role in the etiopathogenesis of gastric ulcers in horses remain to be determined.