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Clostridial Diseases
Bacterium Disease
Clostridium Difficile Enteritis in piglets
Clostridium Haemolyticum Bacillary hemoglobinuria (Red water disease)
Clostridium Novyi type B - Infectious necrotic hepatitis (Black disease) in cattle
- Big head (swollen head) in rams
Clostridium Perfringens type B & C Enterotoxemia
- Lamb dysentery (type B).
- Calf enterotoxemia (type B & C).
- Necrotic enteritis in pigs (type C).
- Foal enterotoxemia (type B).
- Acute enterotoxemia “Struck” in sheep (type C).
- Goat enterotoxemia (type C).
Clostridium Perfringens type D Pulpy Kidney Disease or Overeating Disease
(Type D enterotoxemia)
Clostridium Chauvoei Blackleg disease
Clostridium Botulinum A – G Botulism (Lamziekte) lame sickness
- Shaker Foal Disease (type B toxin).
- Equine Dysautonomia (type B toxin).
- Limberneck in birds (type C toxin).
Clostridium Tetani Tetanus (Lock Jaw)
Clostridium Piliforme Tyzzer’s disease (Dead Foal Disease)
[Enterohepatic disease]
Clostridium Septicum Edema disease
1- Enteritis in piglets
Most common cause of diarrhea in neonatal swine (1 – 7 days old).
Causative agent
Clostridium Difficile [anaerobic, gram positive, spore forming rod].
Pathogenesis
C. Difficile produces “large clostridial toxins” A and B toxin A is enterotoxin that causes
fluid secretion into gut lumen, and toxin B is a cytotoxin.
Clinical presentation
- Diarrhea (may not be present in all pigs affected).
- Dyspnea.
- Abdominal distention.
- Scrotal edema.
Necropsy
- Mesocolon edema (edema of the ascending colon) [the colon is primarily affected with
multifocal exudation of mucous and fibrin plus submucosal edema].
- Pasty to watery colonic contents (pasty watery yellowish feces).
- Ascites and hydrothorax.
Treatment
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Clostridial Diseases
- Antibacterials (Erythromycin, Tetracycline and Tylosin) may be useful for treatment of
suckling piglets.
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Causative agent
Clostridium Novyi type B (The bacterium is soilborne and present in the intestine and liver of
herbivores).
Pathogenesis
- Fecal contamination of pasture by carrier animals is the most important source of infection.
- The organism multiplies in areas of liver necrosis caused by migration of liver flukes and
produces a powerful necrotizing toxin (α toxin).
- The lethal and necrotizing toxin damages hepatic parenchyma, thereby permitting the
bacteria to multiply and produce a lethal amount of toxin.
Clinical presentation
- Sudden death without previous signs.
- Affected animals often are 2 – 4 years old.
- The disease is most prevalent in well-nourished adult sheep and seems to be eliminated to
animals infected with liver flukes most cases occur in the summer and early fall when
liver fluke infection is at its peak.
Necropsy
- Greyish, yellow necrotic foci in the liver along migratory tracks of the liver flukes.
- Enlarged pericardial sac filled with straw colored fluid and excess fluid in peritoneal and
thoracic cavity.
- Extensive rupture of S/C capillaries adjacent skin turn to black (Black disease).
Control
Incidence may be lowered by reducing the numbers of Lymnea spp. snails, the intermediate
host of the liver fluke or by otherwise reducing the fluke infection of sheep.
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- Lamb dysentery
May die before clinical signs are seen, some lambs stop nursing, become listless and
remain recumbent.
A fetid, blood-tinged diarrhea and death occurs within a few days.
- Calf Enterotoxemia
Acute diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pain, convulsions and opisthotonus.
Death may occur in a few hours.
- Necrotic Enteritis in pigs
Diarrhea, dysentery, reddening of the anus, and a high fatality rate (death within 12
hours).
- Foals Enterotoxemia
Acute dysentery, toxemia and death.
- Struck in adult sheep
Death without premonitory signs.
Necropsy
Hemorrhagic enteritis with ulceration of the mucosa is the major lesion in all species.
Treatment
Treatment is usually ineffective because of the severity of the disease but if attempted, it
includes specific hyperimmune sera and oral antibiotics.
Vaccination
The disease is best controlled by vaccination of the pregnant dam during the last third of
pregnancy, initially 2 vaccination 1 month apart and annually thereafter.
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- As starch intake increases suitable medium for growth of C. Perfringens D, producing
Epsilon toxin.
- The epsilon toxin causes vascular damage (capillary damage in kidney, lungs and
particularly capillaries of brain).
Clinical presentation
- Lambs
Sudden death in the best-conditioned lambs (excitement, incoordination and convulsions
occur before death).
Common neurologic signs include circling, opisthotonus and head pressing.
Diarrhea may or may not develop (green or pasty diarrhea) and frothy salivation.
- Adult sheep
Often lag behind the rest of the flock and show nervous signs as (weakness,
incoordination, and convulsions) and death within 24 hours.
- Calves
Calves that are not found dead show mania, convulsions, blindness and death within few
hours.
- Goat
Watery diarrhea with or without blood to sudden death.
N.B.
Glucosuria is a considered a hallmark of type D enterotoxemia in sheep and cattle.
Necropsy
- Lambs
Patchy congestion and hyperemic areas of the abomasal and intestinal mucosa.
Clear straw colored fluid in the pericardial sac.
Rapid postmortem autolysis of kidneys always found in affected young lambs and
seldom found in affected goat or cattle [the kidney has a mottled appearance, soft
consistency and the cortex is jelly-like or semi-fluid Pulpy kidney].
Edema and leukoencephalomalacia detected microscopically in the basal ganglia,
cerebellum and thalamus of lambs (also known as focal symmetrical encephalomalacia).
- In Older animals
Hemorrhagic areas on the myocardium, petechiae and ecchymoses of the abdominal and
serosa of the intestines.
Treatment
Treatment is ineffective due to rapid progression of the disease.
Control
- Breeding ewes should be given two injections of type D toxoid in their first year, a booster
injection 4 – 6 weeks before lambing and on each year thereafter.
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- Enterotoxemia in feedlot lambs can be controlled by reducing the amount of concentrate in
diet.
6- Blackleg disease
Acute, febrile, highly fatal disease of cattle and sheep and characterized by emphysematous
swelling commonly affecting heavy muscles (Clostridial myositis).
Causative agent
Clostridium Chauvoei
Pathogenesis
- C. Chauvoei spores remain viable in the soil and are purported to be a source of infection.
- Bacterial spores are ingested in contaminated feed or soil, pass through the wall of the GIT
and gain access to the blood stream, are deposited in muscles and other tissues(spleen,
liver and alimentary tract) and may remain dormant indefinitely.
- In cattle, blackleg infection is endogenous. Lesions develop without any history of wounds,
although bruising or excessive exercise may precipitate disease in some cases.
- In sheep, the disease is almost always the result of a wound infection and often follows
some form of injury such as shearing cuts, docking, crutching or castration.
- The injury reduces blood flow to the area, thereby reducing the supply of oxygen, the
spores germinate and multiply. As they grow, the bacteria produce toxin which destroy
surrounding tissues.
- The toxins are absorbed into animal’s blood stream which makes the animal acutely
diseased and cause rapid death.
- Most cases are seen in cattle 6 – 24 months old, but thrifty calves as young as 6 weeks and
cattle as old as 10 – 12 years may be affected.
Clinical presentation
- Onset is sudden and a few cattle may be found dead without premonitory signs.
- Acute severe lameness with swelling of muscles.
- Characteristic edematous and crepitant swelling develop in the hip, shoulder, chest, back,
neck:
At first, the swelling is small,, hot and painful.
As the disease rapidly progresses, the swelling enlarge, there is a crepitation on palpation
and the skin becomes cold and insensitive with decreased blood supply to affected areas.
- Death occurs within 12 – 48 hours.
- In some cattle, the lesions are restricted to the myocardium and the diaphragm.
Necropsy
- The rapid accumulation of gas under the skin and the body cavity gives the carcass a
bloated appearance.
- There may be a frothy, blood discharge from the mouth, nostrils and anus.
- If the skin over the affected area is removed excess bubbly blood stained fluid can
be seen and the muscle immediately will be dark in color.
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Control
- A multivalent vaccine containing C. Chauvoei, C. Septicum and C. Novyi is safe and reliable
for cattle and sheep.
- Calves 3 – 6 months of age should be vaccinated twice 4 weeks apart followed by annual
boosters.
- Naïve ewes should be vaccinated 1 month before lambing and then with yearly boosters.
- In outbreaks, prophylactic Penicillin and antiserum treatment are recommended.
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Clostridial Diseases
Necropsy of Shaker foal disease
- Pulmonary edema and congestion and excessive pericardial fluid which contains free-floating
strands of fibrin.
- Limberneck [Western Duck sickness] (Botulism in birds)
Pathogenesis of Limberneck
Invertebrates especially fly larvae (maggots) feed on carcasses that have died from
Botulism and thus consume botulinum toxin they are resistant to toxin and
concentrate them in their bodies outbreaks in waterfowl and other water birds result
from consumption of toxin-laden invertebrates.
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Necropsy of Limberneck
No lesions in affected birds except maggots or other invertebrates may be found in the crop.
- Equine Dysautonomia [Grass Sickness]
Marked reduction of GIT motility due to widespread degeneration within the autonomic
nervous system.
Incidence at any age but highest in horses (2 – 7 years old) and mainly in spring.
The exact etiology is unknown but the causal agent is thought to be associated with
grazing (C. Botulinum toxin may be involved).
Clinical presentation of Grass Sickness
- Fever, tachycardia, ileus and colic.
- Patchy sweating and fine muscular fasciculations are seen over the shoulder and flanks and
penile prolapse may develop.
- Horses adapt a “tucked up” stance.
- Ptosis with droopy eyelashes is prominent.
- Dysphagia and esophageal dysfunction which cause drooling, difficulty passing a stomach
tube, nasal reflux of gastric contents
- On rectal palpation, mucosa is dry, hard and scant feces.
- Distended loops of small intestines and impaction of large colon.
- Cachexia and Rhinitis Sicca (dry nose) in chronic cases.
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- Neuronal degeneration of pre- and postganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons
is characteristic.
Treatment and Control
- Shaker Foal Disease
Early administration of Antitoxin Type B specific or polyvalent to foals before recumbency is
successful. Prognosis is poor in recumbent animals.
- Equine Dysautonomia [Grass Sickness]
Mildly affected (chronic) cases can survive with dedicated nursing care, acute and subacute
cases have not survived and should be euthanized.
- Limberneck
Affected birds may recover without treatment.
Antibiotics effective against Clostridia may be useful if the disease is toxicoinfection.
Fly control may reduce the risk of toxic maggots in the environment.
Active immunization with Inactivated Type C bacterin –toxoid has been successful in
pheasant operations but is not cost-effective or feasible in commercial chickens and wild
ducks.
8- Tetanus
Tetanus toxemia is caused by specific neurotoxin produced by C. Tetani in necrotic tissue.
Causative agent
Clostridium Tetani (anaerobe with terminal spherical spores).
Pathogenesis
- Almost all mammals are susceptible, horses and lambs seen to be the most sensitive of all
species, birds are quite resistant.
- C. Tetani is introduced into the tissues through wounds, particularly deep wounds that
provide a suitable anaerobic environment.
- The spores of C. Tetani are unable to grow in normal tissue but the suitable conditions for
multiplication in necrotic tissues.
- The bacterium remains localized in necrotic tissues at the original site of infection and
multiply bacterial cell undergo autolysis potent neurotoxin is released
the neurotoxin a zinc-binding protease that cleaves Synaptobrevin, a vesicle-associated
membrane protein toxin absorbed by motor nerve travels retrograde up the
nerve tract to the spinal cord where it causes Ascending Tetanus.
- The toxin causes spasmodic, tonic contractions of the voluntary muscles by interfering with
the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters from presynaptic nerve endings.
- If more toxin release carried off by the lymph to the blood stream CNS
(Descending Tetanus).
- The spasms may be severe enough to cause bone fracture.
- Spasms affecting larynx, diaphragm and intercostal muscles respiratory failure.
- Involvement of autonomic nervous system arrythmia, tachycardia and hypertension.
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Clinical presentation
- First, localized stiffness involving the masseter muscles, muscles of neck and the hind
limbs.
- 1 day later, general stiffness, tonic spasms and hyperesthesia.
- The reflexes increase in intensity and the animal is easily excited into more virulent,
general spasms by sudden movement or noise.
- Spasms of head muscles cause difficulty in prehension and mastication of food “Lock Jaw”.
- Horses
Erection of ears, stiff and extended tail, anterior nares dilated and prolapse of third eyelid.
Spasms of the neck and back muscles cause extension of head and neck.
Stiffness of leg muscles cause “Sawhorse” stance.
Sweating is common.
General spasms disturb circulation and respiration increased heart rate, rapid
breathing and congestion of m.m.
- Sheep, goat and pigs
Fall to ground and opisthotonus when startled.
Treatment
- In early stage, Curariform agents, tranquilizers, barbiturates in conjunction with Tetanus
antitoxin have been effective in treatment of horses.
- Injection of tetanus antitoxin into the subarachnoid space through the cisterna magna.
- Draining and cleaning the wounds and administration of Penicillin.
- The horse should be placed in quiet, darkened box stall.
Vaccination
- Active immunization can be accomplished with Tetanus Toxoid.
- If a dangerous wound occurs after immunization, another injection of toxoid to increase the
circulating antibody should be given.
9- Tyzzer’s disease (Dead Foal Disease)
- Is an enterohepatic syndrome of wide range of animals.
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- It is highly fatal disease of young foals.
- The disease primarily affects young well-nourished animals especially those fed high-protein
diets during period of stress.
Causative agent
Clostridium Piliforme (motile, spore-forming rod-shaped flagellated intracellular bacterium).
Predisposing factors
- 2 factors increase Tyzzer’s disease incidence:
• Immunosuppression immunosuppressive drugs or sulphonamide.
Stress shipping, overcrowding and poor sanitation.
Pathogenesis
- The feces of infected and carrier animals are the primary source of spores that contaminate
the environment.
- The primary site of infection is the lower intestinal tract with subsequent dissemination via
the blood or lymphatics to the liver and heart.
- The disease in foals occurs most often between 1 – 6 weeks of age with most cases
occurring between 1 – 2 weeks of age.
- The disease is more common during spring when nursing mares are exposed to lush, high-
protein pastures overgrowth of C. Piliforme in gut of nursing mares feces of
dams contain massive numbers of the bacterium foals consume the feces of their
dams soon after birth as a mechanism to establish their normal intestinal flora
immature gut is more permeable to pathogens like C. Piliforme [older foals up to 6 weeks
old and adults are more resistant to disease because gut becomes more mature and
immune factors may be involved).
- The disease in young foals primary affects liver massive multifocal necrosis and
hepatitis (death from acute liver failure).
Clinical presentation
- Affects apparently healthy, fast-growing foals and most foals are found in a coma or dead.
- Signs if seen (short duration from few hours – 2 days) are depression, pyrexia, jaundice,
diarrhea and recumbency.
- Terminally, convulsions and death.
Necropsy
- Lesions are seen in liver, GIT and myocardium:
- Liver
White, grey or yellowish foci of necrosis in the liver.
Hepatomegaly, edema and hyperplasia of hepatic lymph nodes.
- GIT
Diffuse “Paint brush” hemorrhage seen on serosa of cecum.
Patchy areas of mucosal necrosis in cecum and colon and edema of wall of cecum.
Mesentric lymph nodes may be enlarged and edematous.
- Myocardium
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White streaks in the myocardium especially near the apex
Treatment
- The disease seems to be nearly 100% fatal in neonatal foals.
- Older foals that are less severely affected may survive.
- Animals affected have been treated with 50% dextrose, followed by 10% dextrose and
antibiotics.
- C. Piliforme is sensitive to Tetracycline, partially sensitive to Streptomycin, Erythromycin
and Penicillin.
Control
- Reducing the nitrogen dietary compounds and reducing factors that cause stress and
immunosuppression.
Treatment
- High doses of parental Penicillin, Tetracyclines is indicated early in the disease.
Control
- Multivalent vaccine (C .Septicum with C. Chauvoei) are used for immunization.
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- In endemic areas, animals should be vaccinated before they are castrated, dehorned or
docked.
- Calves should be vaccinated at 2 month of age.
Clostridial Vaccines
- A wide variety of vaccines is available. Singly or in combinations that consists of Bacterins,
Toxoids, or mixture of Bacterins and Toxoids.
- Single vaccination with most clostridial vaccines doesn’t provide adequate levels of
protection and must be followed by booster dose within 3 – 6 weeks.
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- Vaccination of young animals doesn’t yield adequate protective immunity until they are at
least 1 – 2 months age. Therefore, most vaccination strategies target the pregnant dam so
that maximal immunity is transferred to the neonate via colostrum.
- Most commercial vaccines are inactivated usually contain 2-, 4-, 7-, 8-way combinations of
clostridial organisms/toxoids.
- Tetanus is used as single vaccine in horse but used in combination (Tetanus toxoid plus C.
Perfringens types C and D) in sheep, goats and cattle.
- The clostridial vaccines often cause tissue reactions and swelling and should therefore be
administered to cattle in the neck and by the S/C rather than the IM route.
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