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Veterinary microbiology2006; 120(1-2); 179-183; doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.10.013

Molecular analysis of Clostridium difficile isolates recovered from horses with diarrhea.

Abstract: Clostridium difficile is an important cause of diarrhea in horses, causing sporadic and epidemic disease of varying severity. This study evaluated the molecular characteristics of 48 C. difficile isolates recovered from diarrheic horses admitted to a veterinary hospital by using PCR-ribotyping and toxin gene profile. Additionally, feces were tested for the presence of C. difficile toxin A/B via enzyme immunosorbant assay (EIA) in 38 horses. The toxin genes tcdA, tcdB and cdtB were present in 27 (56.25%), 35 (72.91%) and 2 (4.1%) strains, respectively. Eight isolates (16.6%) were A(-)B(+) variants. Thirteen of forty-eight isolates (27.0%) did not posses any toxin genes (A(-)B(-)CDT(-)). A positive EIA result was reported in 17 (44%) of the cases. There was no association between the presence of different ribotypes or strains and toxin gene(s) profiles and the clinical outcome.
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Publication Date: 2006-10-20 PubMed ID: 17112686DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.10.013Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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 characteristics of a bacteria called Clostridium difficile, which causes diarrhea in horses, by examining its molecular properties in 48 different samples. The study also tested horse feces for the presence of this bacteria’s toxins and found no correlation between variations in bacteria strain or toxin profiles and the horse’s clinical outcome.

Methodology and Findings

  • In the study, the researchers analyzed the molecular characteristics of 48 Clostridium difficile isolates. These were obtained from horses that had diarrhea and were admitted to a veterinary hospital.
  • The analysis involved PCR-ribotyping and identifying the toxin gene profile. PCR-ribotyping is a method used to classify different strains of bacteria, while the toxin gene profile identifies the specific toxins produced by the bacteria.
  • The researchers also tested horse feces for the presence of Clostridium difficile toxin A and B using an Enzyme Immunosorbent Assay (EIA). This is a test that detects and measures antibodies in the blood. It can be used to determine if the patient has been exposed to a particular antigen – in this case, the clostridium difficile toxins.

Results and Conclusion

  • Out of the 48 strains studied, they found 27 strains (56.25%) had the tcdA toxin gene, 35 strains (72.91%) had the tcdB toxin gene and 2 strains (4.1%) had the cdtB toxin gene.
  • A total of 8 isolates (16.6%) were identified as A(-)B(+) variants, meaning they don’t produce toxin A, but they produce toxin B.
  • Thirteen (27%) of the isolates didn’t possess any toxin genes, marked as A(-)B(-)CDT(-).
  • The EIA test showed positive results in 17 cases (44%) indicating the presence of either toxin A or B.
  • The study found there was no association between different bacterial strains or their toxin gene profiles and the clinical outcomes in horses. This implies that the severity or type of disease is not necessarily dependent on the specific strain or toxins produced.

Cite This Article

APA
Arroyo LG, Staempfli H, Weese JS. (2006). Molecular analysis of Clostridium difficile isolates recovered from horses with diarrhea. Vet Microbiol, 120(1-2), 179-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2006.10.013

Publication

Veterinary microbiology
ISSN: 0378-1135
NlmUniqueID: 7705469
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 120
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 179-183

Researcher Affiliations

Arroyo, Luis G
  • Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada N1G 2W1. larroyo@uoguelph.ca
Staempfli, Henry
    Weese, J Scott

      MeSH Terms

      • ADP Ribose Transferases / genetics
      • Animals
      • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
      • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
      • Clostridioides difficile / classification
      • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
      • Clostridioides difficile / isolation & purification
      • Diarrhea / microbiology
      • Diarrhea / veterinary
      • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / microbiology
      • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / mortality
      • Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / veterinary
      • Enterotoxins / genetics
      • Feces / microbiology
      • Horse Diseases / microbiology
      • Horse Diseases / mortality
      • Horses
      • Ribotyping / veterinary

      Citations

      This article has been cited 14 times.
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