Infection of internal umbilical remnant in foals by Clostridium sordellii.
Abstract: Omphalitis and the resulting septicemia contribute to perinatal mortality in several animal species. In foals, the most important causes of omphalitis are Escherichia coli and Streptococcus zooepidemicus. However to date, no information has been published about the role of Clostridium sordellii in these infections. In this paper, we describe 8 cases of perinatal mortality in foals associated with internal umbilical remnant infection by C. sordellii. The foals studied were between 12 and 21 days old at the time of death, and various breeds were represented in the group. Five of the foals were male and 3 were female. The diagnosis was established on the basis of the detection of C. sordellii by 3 methods (culture, fluorescent antibody test, and immunohistochemistry) and on gross and histopathologic findings. All foals had acute peritonitis, and the internal umbilical remnant was thickened by edema, hemorrhage, and fibrosis. A moderate amount of serosanguinous fluid with fibrin strands was present in the pericardial sac and pleural cavity. Histopathologically, the urachus and umbilical arterial walls were thickened by edema and exhibited hemorrhage, fibrin, and leukocytic infiltration. Gram-positive bacterial rods were observed in subepithelial areas of the urachus, the adventicia of umbilical arteries, and interstitium of the internal umbilical remnant. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that C. sordellii should be considered in the differential diagnosis for infections of the internal umbilical remnant in foals.
Publication Date: 2007-05-11 PubMed ID: 17491067DOI: 10.1354/vp.44-3-269Google 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.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article discusses the investigation and findings of neonatal foal deaths related to the infection of the internal umbilical remnant by the bacteria Clostridium sordellii, a previously unknown cause.
Background
- The study contributes to the understanding of perinatal mortality (neonatal deaths) in animal species, particularly foals (young horses), due to septicemia resulting from omphalitis – inflammation or infection of the umbilical cord remnants. The main known pathogens associated were Escherichia coli and Streptococcus zooepidemicus.
- This investigation introduces a new pathogen, Clostridium sordellii, in this context, which was not previously implicated in such infections.
Method and Subjects
- The researchers examined eight cases involving foals between 12 and 21 days old from various breeds who died due to infection of the internal umbilical remnant by C. sordellii.
- The sex of the foals were also considered – 5 were male and 3 were female.
- Diagnosis was accomplished through the use of three different methods – culture, a fluorescent antibody test, and immunohistochemistry, as well as gross and histopathologic observations.
Findings
- All affected foals had acute peritonitis – inflammation of the abdominal lining.
- The internal umbilical remnants in these foals showed signs of edema (swelling), hemorrhage (bleeding), and fibrosis (thickening and scarring).
- Fluid accumulation with fibrin strands, indicating a case of infection and inflammation, was noticed in the pericardial sac (around the heart) and pleural cavity (around the lungs).
- Upon histopathological examination, it was found that the urachus and umbilical arterial walls had thickened due to edema, and showed signs of bleeding, fibrin, and infiltration by leukocytes (white blood cells).
- Gram-positive bacterial rods, which are characteristic of the C. sordellii bacteria, were observed in subepithelial areas of the urachus, the adventitia of umbilical arteries, and the interstitium of the internal umbilical remnant.
Conclusion
- Based on these observations and findings, the study proposes adding C. sordellii to the list of potential pathogens to consider while diagnosing infections of the internal umbilical remnant in foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Ortega J, Daft B, Assis RA, Kinde H, Anthenill L, Odani J, Uzal FA.
(2007).
Infection of internal umbilical remnant in foals by Clostridium sordellii.
Vet Pathol, 44(3), 269-275.
https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.44-3-269 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Atención Sanitaria, Salud Pública y Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, Valencia, Spain. jortega@uch.ceu.es
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Clostridium Infections / microbiology
- Clostridium Infections / veterinary
- Clostridium sordellii / isolation & purification
- Female
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Male
- Peritonitis / microbiology
- Peritonitis / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Umbilical Arteries / pathology
- Umbilical Cord / microbiology
- Umbilical Veins / pathology
- Urachus / microbiology
- Urachus / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Kim Y, Ji MJ, Park J, Choi KS. Case report: Omphalitis caused by Trueperella pyogenes infection in a Korean indigenous calf. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1362352.
- Uzal FA, Navarro MA, Asin J, Henderson EE. Clostridial Diseases of Horses: A Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Feb 17;10(2).
- 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.
- Vitale V, Nocera I, Sgorbini M, Aliboni B, Laus F, Mannini A, Bazzano M. Ultrasonography Evaluation of Umbilical Structures in Clinically Healthy Donkey Foals during the First Week of Life. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 2;11(6).
- Capewell P, Rupp A, Fuentes M, McDonald M, Weir W. Fatal Clostridium sordellii-mediated hemorrhagic and necrotizing gastroenteropathy in a dog: case report. BMC Vet Res 2020 May 24;16(1):152.
- Junior CAO, Silva ROS, Lobato FCF, Navarro MA, Uzal FA. Gas gangrene in mammals: a review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020 Mar;32(2):175-183.
- Nyaoke AC, Navarro MA, Fresneda K, Diab SS, Moore J, Lyras D, Awad M, Uzal FA. Paeniclostridium (Clostridium) sordellii-associated enterocolitis in 7 horses. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020 Mar;32(2):239-245.
- Sacco SC, Ortega J, Navarro MA, Fresneda KC, Anderson M, Woods LW, Moore J, Uzal FA. Clostridium sordellii-associated gas gangrene in 8 horses, 1998-2019. J Vet Diagn Invest 2020 Mar;32(2):246-251.
- Hermosilla C, Hirzmann J, Silva LMR, Brotons JM, Cerdà M, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Ewers C, Taubert A. Occurrence of anthropozoonotic parasitic infections and faecal microbes in free-ranging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Mediterranean Sea. Parasitol Res 2018 Aug;117(8):2531-2541.
- Vidor CJ, Watts TD, Adams V, Bulach D, Couchman E, Rood JI, Fairweather NF, Awad M, Lyras D. Clostridium sordellii Pathogenicity Locus Plasmid pCS1-1 Encodes a Novel Clostridial Conjugation Locus. mBio 2018 Jan 16;9(1).
- Rabi R, Turnbull L, Whitchurch CB, Awad M, Lyras D. Structural Characterization of Clostridium sordellii Spores of Diverse Human, Animal, and Environmental Origin and Comparison to Clostridium difficile Spores. mSphere 2017 Sep-Oct;2(5).
- Sprayberry KA. Ultrasonographic Examination of the Equine Neonate: Thorax and Abdomen. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Dec;31(3):515-43.
- Sirigi Reddy AR, Girinathan BP, Zapotocny R, Govind R. Identification and characterization of Clostridium sordellii toxin gene regulator. J Bacteriol 2013 Sep;195(18):4246-54.
- Liggins M, Ramirez N, Magnuson N, Abel-Santos E. Progesterone analogs influence germination of Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium difficile spores in vitro. J Bacteriol 2011 Jun;193(11):2776-83.
- Ramirez N, Abel-Santos E. Requirements for germination of Clostridium sordellii spores in vitro. J Bacteriol 2010 Jan;192(2):418-25.
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