Diagnosis of Clostridium Perfringens Intestinal Infections in Sheep and Goats

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens produces enteric diseases, generically called enterotoxemias, in sheep, goats, and other animals. This microorganism can be a normal inhabitant of the intestine of most animal species, including humans, but when the intestinal environment is altered by sudden changes in diet or other factors, C. perfringens proliferates and produces potent toxins that act locally or are absorbed into the general circulation with usually devastating effects on the host. History, clinical signs, and gross postmortem findings are useful tools for establishing a presumptive diagnosis of clostridial enterotoxemia in sheep and goats. Definitive diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation. Isolation of some types of C. perfringens (e.g., B and C) can be of diagnostic value, but other types (e.g., A) are so commonly found in the intestine of normal animals that isolation is meaningless from a diagnostic point of view. The most accepted criterion in establishing a definitive diagnosis of enterotoxemia is detection of C. perfringens toxins in intestinal contents. Also, histopathological examination of brain is very useful for diagnosis of type D disease, as lesions produced by epsilon toxin in the brains of sheep and goats are pathognomonic for type D enterotoxemia. Ancillary tests, such as measuring urine glucose or observing Gram-stained smears of intestinal mucosa, can be used. However, although such tests have a presumptive diagnostic value when positive, they cannot be used to rule out a diagnosis of enterotoxemia when negative.

Clostridium Perfringens Toxins Involved in Mammalian Veterinary Diseases

“…Clinical disease can be characterized by diarrhea, neurological signs or both. Post-mortem gross and histopathological findings are similar to those of type C infections (see below), except for those rare cases of focal symmetrical encephalomalacia, believed to be due to the effect of ETX [79, 80]. …”

“…FSE is characterized by dark hemorrhagic foci in corpus striatum, thalamus, midbrain, and cerebellar peduncles and white matter [120–122]. The kidney lesion from which one of the common names of the disease is derived (pulpy kidney disease) is likely to be a postmortem change [80, 123]. …”

Towards an Understanding of the Role of Clostridium Perfringens Toxins in Human and Animal Disease

“…C. perfringens type D produces enterotoxemia in sheep and goats [77]. Less frequently, these strains are responsible for enterotoxemia in cattle and other animal species.…”

“…The immediate consequence of this effect is perivascular edema, with an increase of the intracerebral pressure and occasionally parenchymal brain necrosis (focal symmetrical encephalomalacia). Owing to these effects, type D disease is mainly characterized by neurological clinical signs in the most affected animal species, although goats can also suffer intestinal damage [77]. …”

A Preliminary Molecular Typing by PCR Assays of <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> and <i>Clostridium difficile</i> Isolates from Dogs

“…The genotype, in many cases, could provide the final piece of information needed to establish a diagnosis [20].…”