Research overview: chronic gastritis in captive cheetahs

Captive cheetahs are notably prone to a severe chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter infection, a condition far more debilitating in captive than in wild cheetahs, suggesting that stress, immune factors related to the species' low genetic diversity, and captivity contribute to its severity. The disease causes weight loss, vomiting, and reduced welfare. This overview compiles the zoo-medicine literature rather than one source, describing the characteristics of cheetah gastritis, why the captive-wild difference points to stress and immune contributions, and how management addresses both the infection and the underlying stress. It matters because gastritis is a leading health and welfare problem in captive cheetah programs, illustrating how the interplay of genetics, stress, and infection shapes disease in a species already burdened by limited genetic variation.