Which of the following organisms would not cause enteritis in hamsters?

• A. Clostridium spp.
• B. Helicobacter spp.
• C. Lawsonia intracellularis
• D. Mycoplasma spp.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is recognizing which pathogens are tied to intestinal disease in hamsters. Lawsonia intracellularis is the classic cause of proliferative enteritis (the wet tail type intestinal inflammation) in hamsters. Clostridium species can cause enteritis or colitis through toxin production, and Helicobacter species can trigger gastritis and related intestinal inflammation. Mycoplasma species, on the other hand, are best known as respiratory pathogens in hamsters (for example, Mycoplasma pulmonis) and are not typically associated with enteritis. Therefore, Mycoplasma species would not be a cause of enteritis in hamsters.