Clostridium difficile infections in animals with special reference to the horse. A review.
Abstract: In human medicine, Clostridium (C.) difficile is since many years a well-known cause of nosocomial diarrhea induced by antibiotic treatment. In horses, C. difficile was recently suggested as a possible enteric pathogen. The bacterium is associated with acute colitis in mature horses following treatment with antibiotics. C. difficile, and/or its cytotoxin, is also associated with acute colitis in mares when their foals are being treated with erythromycin and rifampicin for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia. The colitis can have resulted from an accidental ingestion of erythromycin by the mares. In an experimental study it was also demonstrated in mature horses that erythromycin can induce severe colitis associated with proliferation of C. difficile. A new interesting finding was that in healthy foals younger than 14 days, C. difficile was isolated from every third foal whereas older foals proved negative. In this paper the current state of knowledge of C. difficile infections in animals, especially in horses, is reviewed. A short description is given of the historical background of Clostridium difficile and the antibiotic-associated colitis and diarrhea caused by infection with this bacterium. The taxonomy of Clostridium difficile is described extensively. A summary is given of the diseases associated with clostridia infections in animals. Special attention is paid to the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical symptoms, laboratory diagnosis, and pathology of Clostridium difficile infections in horses. Finally, some other bacterial causes of colitis in horses are discussed shortly.
Publication Date: 2003-01-24 PubMed ID: 12540137DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2002.9695137Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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The research study provides information on Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections in animals with a particular emphasis on horses. The researchers suggest that C. difficile, known to cause antibiotic-induced diarrhea in humans, may also be linked with antibiotic-related acute colitis in horses.
Overview of C. difficile Infections
- The paper reviews the current knowledge on C. difficile infections in animals, particularly in horses. This bacterium has long been recognized as a leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in humans, often due to antibiotic treatments. Recent studies suggest its potentially harmful impact on horses as well, causing significant gastrointestinal problems following antibiotic therapy.
- The paper provides a brief historical perspective on C. difficile and the diarrhea and colitis (inflammation of the colon) that can result from an infection. It also offers an in-depth description of the taxonomy or classification of C. difficile.
- The study confirms an experimental report that suggests erythromycin, an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, can induce severe colitis in mature horses associated with an increase in C. difficile.
Specific Findings in Horses
- The research brings to light new findings that in healthy foals younger than 14 days, C. difficile was found in every third foal, whereas older foals tested negative.
- Moreover, the colitis seen in mares could be a result of inadvertent ingestion of erythromycin when their foals are treated for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia, a common bacterial infection in foals, with erythromycin and rifampicin.
Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Diagnosis
- The paper also outlines the diseases in animals that are linked with Clostridium infection. It highlights the pathogenesis (the processes that lead to disease), epidemiology (the study of disease spread), clinical symptoms, and pathology (study of disease causes and effects) specific to C. difficile infections in horses.
- The authors discuss laboratory diagnosis of C. difficile infections in horses, possibly including stool sample tests to detect the presence of C. difficile or its toxins, along with noting the associated clinical symptoms, which may feature diarrhea, loss of appetite, or colic pain.
Other Bacterial Causes of Colitis in Horses
- The paper concludes by briefly discussing other bacterial causes for colitis in horses, thereby indicating the complexity of diagnosing and managing this condition in equine populations.
Cite This Article
APA
Båverud V.
(2003).
Clostridium difficile infections in animals with special reference to the horse. A review.
Vet Q, 24(4), 203-219.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2002.9695137 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- National Veterinary Institute, Department of Bacteriology, Uppsala, Sweden. Viveca.Baverud@sva.se
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cat Diseases / microbiology
- Cat Diseases / pathology
- Cats
- Clostridioides difficile / classification
- Dog Diseases / microbiology
- Dog Diseases / pathology
- Dogs
- Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
- Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
References
This article includes 181 references
Citations
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- Kabir A, Lamichhane B, Habib T, Adams A, El-Sheikh Ali H, Slovis NM, Troedsson MHT, Helmy YA. Antimicrobial Resistance in Equines: A Growing Threat to Horse Health and Beyond-A Comprehensive Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024 Jul 29;13(8).
- Liepman RS, Swink JM, Habing GG, Boyaka PN, Caddey B, Costa M, Gomez DE, Toribio RE. Effects of Intravenous Antimicrobial Drugs on the Equine Fecal Microbiome. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 13;12(8).
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