FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Veterinary microbiology2011; 156(3-4); 395-402; doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.11.023

Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridium difficile co-infection in foals.

Abstract: Clostridium perfringens type C is one of the most important agents of enteric disease in newborn foals. Clostridium difficile is now recognized as an important cause of enterocolitis in horses of all ages. While infections by C. perfringens type C or C. difficile are frequently seen, we are not aware of any report describing combined infection by these two microorganisms in foals. We present here five cases of foal enterocolitis associated with C. difficile and C. perfringens type C infection. Five foals between one and seven days of age were submitted for necropsy examination to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. The five animals had a clinical history of acute hemorrhagic diarrhea followed by death and none had received antimicrobials or been hospitalized. Postmortem examination revealed hemorrhagic and necrotizing entero-typhlo-colitis. Histologically, the mucosa of the small intestine and colon presented diffuse necrosis and hemorrhage and it was often covered by a pseudomembrane. Thrombosis was observed in submucosal and/or mucosal vessels. Immunohistochemistry of intestinal sections of all foals showed that many large bacilli in the sections were C. perfringens. C. perfringens beta toxin was detected by ELISA in intestinal content of all animals and C. difficile toxin A/B was detected in intestinal content of three animals. C. perfringens (identified as type C by PCR) was isolated from the intestinal content of three foals. C. difficile (typed as A(+)/B(+) by PCR) was isolated from the intestinal content in 3 out of the 5 cases. This report suggests a possible synergism of C. perfringens type C and C. difficile in foal enterocolitis. Because none of the foals had received antibiotic therapy, the predisposing factor, if any, for the C. difficile infection remains undetermined; it is possible that the C. perfringens infection acted as a predisposing factor for C. difficile and/or vice versa. This report also stresses the need to perform a complete diagnostic workup in all cases of foal digestive disease.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2011-12-01 PubMed ID: 22177970DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.11.023Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research studied the co-infection of Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridium difficile in foals. It suggests a potential synergy between the two bacteria in causing sickness, highlights the need for comprehensive diagnosis in foal digestive diseases, and challenges previous theories about the cause of C. difficile infection.

About the Research

  • The study came about due to the lack of reports about combined infection by two bacteria types, Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridium difficile, in foals, young horses.
  • The researchers examined five cases of foal enterocolitis that were associated with the two types of bacteria. The foals, aged between one and seven days, had a history of acute hemorrhagic diarrhea and had not received antibiotics or been hospitalized.

Findings from the Postmortem Examination

  • The postmortem examination revealed the foals all suffered from hemorrhagic and necrotizing entero-typhlo-colitis, a severe intestinal disease, with diffuse necrosis and hemorrhage in the small intestine and colon mucosa.
  • Thrombosis was observed in submucosal and/or mucosal vessels, and many large bacilli in the intestinal sections were found to be C. perfringens.

Identification of Bacteria Using Various Techniques

  • In addition to identifying the bacteria histologically, the researchers used the ELISA method to detect the presence of C. perfringens beta toxin in the intestinal content of all animals and the C. difficile toxin A/B in three animals.
  • They used PCR for bacterial identification and found C. perfringens type C in three foals and C. difficile typed as A(+)/B(+) in three of the five cases.

Implications of the Findings

  • The findings suggest a possible synergy of C. perfringens type C and C. difficile in foal enterocolitis. This means C. difficile and C. perfringens type C could be working together to cause this specific form of inflamed and damaged intestines in foals.
  • This research challenges the common theory about the cause of C. difficile, as none of the foals had received antibiotic therapy. It posits that the C. perfringens infection could be a predisposing factor for C. difficile or vice versa.
  • The study also emphasizes the need for a complete diagnostic workup in all cases of foal digestive diseases. Without it, the presence of either or both bacteria could be missed, leading to incomplete or ineffective treatment.

Cite This Article

APA
Uzal FA, Diab SS, Blanchard P, Moore J, Anthenill L, Shahriar F, Garcia JP, Songer JG. (2011). Clostridium perfringens type C and Clostridium difficile co-infection in foals. Vet Microbiol, 156(3-4), 395-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.11.023

Publication

Veterinary microbiology
ISSN: 1873-2542
NlmUniqueID: 7705469
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 156
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 395-402

Researcher Affiliations

Uzal, F A
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, San Bernardino Branch, UC Davis, CA, USA. fuzal@cahfs.ucdavis.edu
Diab, S S
    Blanchard, P
      Moore, J
        Anthenill, L
          Shahriar, F
            Garcia, J P
              Songer, J G

                MeSH Terms

                • Animals
                • California
                • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification
                • Clostridium Infections / diagnosis
                • Clostridium Infections / microbiology
                • Clostridium Infections / pathology
                • Clostridium Infections / veterinary
                • Clostridium perfringens / isolation & purification
                • Coinfection
                • Diarrhea / microbiology
                • Diarrhea / veterinary
                • Enterocolitis / diagnosis
                • Enterocolitis / microbiology
                • Enterocolitis / pathology
                • Enterocolitis / veterinary
                • Female
                • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
                • Horse Diseases / microbiology
                • Horse Diseases / pathology
                • Horses / microbiology
                • Intestine, Small / pathology
                • Male

                Citations

                This article has been cited 15 times.
                1. Petry S, Tapprest J, Maillard K, Barbut F, Duquesne F, Kozak S, Foucher N, Bernez-Romand M, Bridoux L, Poquet I. Clostridioides difficile in equidae necropsied in Northwestern France, between 2019 and 2021. Microbiol Spectr 2026 Feb 3;14(2):e0216525.
                  doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02165-25pubmed: 41467783google scholar: lookup
                2. Minich D, Madden C, Navarro MA, Glowacki L, French-Kim K, Chan W, Evans MV, Soares K, Mrofchak R, Madan R, Ballash GA, LaPerle K, Paul S, Vodovotz Y, Uzal FA, Martinez M, Hausmann J, Junge RE, Hale VL. Gut microbiota and age shape susceptibility to clostridial enteritis in lorikeets under human care. Anim Microbiome 2022 Jan 9;4(1):7.
                  doi: 10.1186/s42523-021-00148-7pubmed: 35000619google scholar: lookup
                3. Patterson Rosa L, Mallicote MF, MacKay RJ, Brooks SA. Ion Channel and Ubiquitin Differential Expression during Erythromycin-Induced Anhidrosis in Foals. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 25;11(12).
                  doi: 10.3390/ani11123379pubmed: 34944156google scholar: lookup
                4. Uzal FA, Arroyo LG, Navarro MA, Gomez DE, Asín J, Henderson E. Bacterial and viral enterocolitis in horses: a review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):354-375.
                  doi: 10.1177/10406387211057469pubmed: 34763560google scholar: lookup
                5. Magdesian KG, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Fecal PCR testing for detection of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile toxin genes and other pathogens in foals with diarrhea: 28 cases. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):396-401.
                  doi: 10.1177/10406387211047529pubmed: 34554023google scholar: lookup
                6. Mendonça FS, Navarro MA, Uzal FA. The comparative pathology of enterocolitis caused by Clostridium perfringens type C, Clostridioides difficile, Paeniclostridium sordellii, Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in horses. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):412-420.
                  doi: 10.1177/10406387211041091pubmed: 34455808google scholar: lookup
                7. Kopper JJ, Willette JA, Kogan CJ, Seguin A, Bolin SR, Schott HC 2nd. Detection of pathogens in blood or feces of adult horses with enteric disease and association with outcome of colitis. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2465-2472.
                  doi: 10.1111/jvim.16238pubmed: 34382708google scholar: lookup
                8. Rocchigiani G, Ricci E, Navarro MA, Samol MA, Uzal FA. Leukocyte numbers and intestinal mucosal morphometrics in horses with no clinical intestinal disease. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):389-395.
                  doi: 10.1177/10406387211031944pubmed: 34293980google scholar: lookup
                9. Oliver-Espinosa O. Foal Diarrhea: Established and Postulated Causes, Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatments. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2018 Apr;34(1):55-68.
                  doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2017.11.003pubmed: 29395727google scholar: lookup
                10. Wang LZ, Chen LD, Xiao B, Gan YL, Li LH, Wang Q. [Efficacy of real-time PCR for detecting Clostridium difficile infection: comparison with enzyme-linked fluorescent spectroscopy-based approaches]. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao 2017 Dec 20;37(12):1648-1653.
                  doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-4254.2017.12.15pubmed: 29292260google scholar: lookup
                11. Juffo GD, Bassuino DM, Gomes DC, Wurster F, Pissetti C, Pavarini SP, Driemeier D. Equine salmonellosis in southern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 2017 Mar;49(3):475-482.
                  doi: 10.1007/s11250-016-1216-1pubmed: 28013440google scholar: lookup
                12. Rodriguez C, Taminiau B, Van Broeck J, Delmée M, Daube G. Clostridium difficile in Food and Animals: A Comprehensive Review. Adv Exp Med Biol 2016;932:65-92.
                  doi: 10.1007/5584_2016_27pubmed: 27350639google scholar: lookup
                13. Diniz AN, Silva ROS, Oliveira Junior CA, Pierezan F, Lobato FCF. Clostridium perfringens type A netF and netE positive and Clostridium difficile co-infection in two adult dogs. Anaerobe 2016 Apr;38:94-96.
                  doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2015.12.013pubmed: 26762654google scholar: lookup
                14. Uzal FA, Diab SS. Gastritis, Enteritis, and Colitis in Horses. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Aug;31(2):337-58.
                  doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2015.04.006pubmed: 26048413google scholar: lookup
                15. Charlebois A, Jacques M, Archambault M. Biofilm formation of Clostridium perfringens and its exposure to low-dose antimicrobials. Front Microbiol 2014;5:183.
                  doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00183pubmed: 24795711google scholar: lookup
                Subscribe to our newsletter
                Join 99,780 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.