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

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.