Beta 2 toxigenic Clostridium perfringens type A colitis in a three-day-old foal.

This research discusses the case of a three-day-old foal that had colitis due to a high presence of the bacterium Beta 2 toxigenic Clostridium perfringens type A in its gut. The foal had been previously treated with an antibiotic, gentamicin.

About the Illness

• In this study, the researchers documented the case of a foal, a baby horse, suffering from colitis, an inflammation of the inner lining of the colon.
• Colitis in this foal was caused by a bacterium known as Beta 2 (β2)-toxigenic Clostridium perfringens type A. This bacterium was found in large amounts in the foal’s intestine.
• This bacterium produces a toxin called Beta-2 toxin, which is deleterious to the horse’s health and leads to the inflammation of the colon.

The Case of the Foal

• The foal was only three days old at the time and had been treated with gentamicin, an antibiotic that is usually administered to treat a variety of bacterial infections.
• Despite being treated with the antibiotic, the foal still developed an inflamed colon due to the bacteria.
• The colitis led to necrosis or death of the tissue in the colon, which covered about 50% of the colon’s surface. There were also scattered ulcers that were 1-3mm in size, found across the colon.

Findings after the Vaccination

• On closer investigation, the researchers found that the foal’s cecum and colon were markedly distended, and there was a presence of watery, rust-colored fluid. This is indicative of the severity of inflammation and infection.
• There was also infiltration of the neutrophils, which are white blood cells, underneath the ulcers. This signifies that the body of the foal was trying to fight off the bacterial infection.
• In the dead tissue of the mucosa, large Gram-positive bacilli were seen. These are representative of the bacterial strain that was causing the infection.

Evidence of Beta-2 Toxin

• The researchers used immunohistochemical staining to visually confirm the presence of the Beta-2 toxin in the foal’s lesions. This is a technique that allows the visualization of specific proteins or antigens in cells of a tissue.
• The presence of the Beta-2 toxin in the lesions solidifies the understanding that Beta 2 (β2)-toxigenic Clostridium perfringens type A bacterium was responsible for the colitis in this foal.