Prevalence of Clostridium perfringens in faeces and ileal contents from grass sickness affected horses: comparisons with 3 control populations.
Abstract: While previous studies have demonstrated an association between equine grass sickness (EGS) and the presence of Clostridium botulinum within ileal contents and faeces, no such associations with other intestinal-derived anaerobic bacteria have been extensively investigated. Objective: The prevalence of C. perfringens in the ileal contents and faeces of EGS horses is greater than control horses; the detection of C. perfringens in faeces by ELISA could be diagnostically beneficial in a clinical setting. Methods: The prevalence of C. perfringens in faeces from EGS horses and healthy grazing control horses was determined by both selective culture and ELISA to permit both validation of the ELISA and inter-group comparisons. Additionally, the prevalence of C. perfringens (ELISA) in ileal contents from EGS horses was compared with that for control horses with nongastrointestinal disease. Finally, the prevalence of C. perfringens (ELISA) in faeces from EGS cases was compared with that from both horses with which they shared pasture at the time of disease onset and non-EGS colic horses. Results: When compared with culture, the ELISA had a sensitivity and specificity of 86 and 98%, respectively. The prevalence of C. perfringens in faeces as determined by both culture and ELISA was significantly higher (P<0.001) for EGS horses (7/9 and 15/37, respectively) than for healthy grazing controls (0/60 and 1/74, respectively). The prevalence of C. perfringens in ileal contents from EGS horses (5/10) was greater than that for horses with nongastrointestinal disease (1/12) at a level that approached significance (P = 0.056). EGS cases had a significantly greater prevalence of C. perfringens in faeces (15/37) than co-grazing horses (1/18) and colic (1/16) horses. The specificity (93%) and PPV (94%) of the detection of C. perfringens by ELISA on faecal samples in relation to disease status (EGS compared with colic horses) was good. Sensitivity (41%) and NPV (39%) were poor. Conclusions: The use of a commercial ELISA to detect faecal C. perfringens may be diagnostically beneficial when differentiating EGS cases from colic cases, although further work is required to fully evaluate its potential.
Publication Date: 2010-08-19 PubMed ID: 20716188DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00105.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Clinical Study
- Clostridium
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Treatment
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Feces
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Grass Sickness
- Horses
- Infection
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The study aims to identify if a higher prevalence of the bacterium Clostridium perfringens in horses suffering from Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) could provide clues for diagnosing the disease. The research concludes that a higher occurrence of the said bacteria in horse faeces was noticed in EGS affected horses than in healthy or colic horses using both selective culture and ELISA techniques.
Objective and Methodology
- The research aimed to understand the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens in EGS horses compared to control horses, to see if its detection could be beneficial in diagnosing the disease.
- The methodology involved determining the prevalence of C. perfringens in faeces from EGS horses and healthy horses through the use of culture and ELISA techniques.
- The study also compared the prevalence of this bacterium in the ileal contents of EGS horses with that of control horses who had non-gastrointestinal diseases.
Results
- The study found that ELISA technique had sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 98% respectively when compared to selective culture in determining the presence of C. perfringens.
- EGS horses showed a significantly higher prevalence of C. perfringens in their faeces (determined by both culture and ELISA) as compared to healthy horses.
- There was a higher prevalence of C. perfringens also found in the ileal contents of EGS horses compared to those horses suffering from non-gastrointestinal diseases.
- The study also demonstrated a higher prevalence of C. perfringens in the faecal matter of EGS horses when compared with that of horses who shared pasture with them and also with horses suffering from colic.
Conclusions
- The results suggest that the detection of C. perfringens by ELISA in the faeces of horses is potentially useful in differentiating EGS horses from colic horses.
- However, the study also notes that the sensitivity of this approach was relatively low implying that additional work is required in order to fully validate its diagnostic potential.
Cite This Article
APA
Waggett BE, McGorum BC, Wernery U, Shaw DJ, Pirie RS.
(2010).
Prevalence of Clostridium perfringens in faeces and ileal contents from grass sickness affected horses: comparisons with 3 control populations.
Equine Vet J, 42(6), 494-499.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00105.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / epidemiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / microbiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / veterinary
- Case-Control Studies
- Clostridium Infections / microbiology
- Clostridium Infections / veterinary
- Clostridium perfringens / isolation & purification
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Feces / microbiology
- Gastrointestinal Contents / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Ileum / microbiology
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Moustafa S, Zakaria I, Moustafa A, AboSakaya R, Selim A. Bacteriological and serological investigation of Clostridium perfringens in lambs.. Sci Rep 2022 Nov 16;12(1):19715.
- Schoster A, Staempfli HR, Abrahams M, Jalali M, Weese JS, Guardabassi L. Effect of a probiotic on prevention of diarrhea and Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens shedding in foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 May-Jun;29(3):925-31.
- Silva RO, Santos RL, Pires PS, Pereira LC, Pereira ST, Duarte MC, de Assis RA, Lobato FC. Detection of toxins A/B and isolation of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens from dogs in Minas Gerais, Brazil.. Braz J Microbiol 2013;44(1):133-7.
- Schoster A, Arroyo LG, Staempfli HR, Shewen PE, Weese JS. Presence and molecular characterization of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in intestinal compartments of healthy horses.. BMC Vet Res 2012 Jun 29;8:94.
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