Necrotizing enteritis associated with Clostridium perfringensType B in chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera)

Abstract

<jats:p>Four 3-4 month-old chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) from a commercial flock of 395 chinchillas, were found dead with evidence of previous diarrhea and prolapsed rectum. A fifth 8 month-old chinchilla died 8 hours after being found recumbent, apathetic, diarrheic and with a prolapsed rectum. Two chinchillas were necropsied and observed gross lesions consisted of extensive hemorrhagic enteritis, mild pulmonary edema and enlarged and yellow liver; this latter finding was particularly prominent in the chinchilla presenting longer clinical course. Histologically there was necrotizing enteritis associated with abundant bacterial rods aggregates in the intestinal surface epithelium and within the lamina propria. In the lungs there were small amounts of pink proteinaceous material (edema) in the interstitium and marked vacuolar hepatocellullar degeneration (lipidosis) in the liver. Anaerobic cultures from the intestinal contents of one of the affected chinchillas yielded Clostridium perfringens. Genotyping of this C. perfringens isolate was achieved by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) as C. perfringenstype B due to detection of alpha, beta and epsilon-toxin genes. These findings suggest C. perfringens type B as an important cause of sudden or acute death in chinchillas.</jats:p>

Biology and Diseases of Chinchillas

“…C. perfringens type A, B, and D have been reported in chinchillas (Bartoszcze et al, 1990b;Lucena et al, 2011;Moore and Greenlee, 1975). C. perfringens type A, B, and D have been reported in chinchillas (Bartoszcze et al, 1990b;Lucena et al, 2011;Moore and Greenlee, 1975).…”

“…Histologically, necrotizing and hemorrhagic enteritis with bacterial aggregates in the epithelium and lamina propria, necrosis of the large intestinal mucosa, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, hepatic lipidosis, splenic white pulp proliferation, and pulmonary edema has been described (Bartoszcze et al, 1990b;Lucena et al, 2011). Histologically, necrotizing and hemorrhagic enteritis with bacterial aggregates in the epithelium and lamina propria, necrosis of the large intestinal mucosa, centrilobular hepatic necrosis, hepatic lipidosis, splenic white pulp proliferation, and pulmonary edema has been described (Bartoszcze et al, 1990b;Lucena et al, 2011).…”

“…Polymerase chain reaction can be used to characterize the toxinotype of LABORATORY ANIMAL MEDICINE C. perfringens (Lucena et al, 2011;Yoo et al, 1997). Commercially available immunoassays can be used for the detection of enterotoxin from fecal or intestinal contents.…”

Doenças de chinchilas (Chinchilla lanigera)

“…A genotipiϐicação de C. perfringens isolado, realizada por reação em cadeia de polimerase multiplex (mPCR), revelou C. perfringens tipo B pela detecção das toxinas alfa, beta e épsilon. Os achados sugerem C. perfringens tipo B como importante causador de morte súbita ou aguda em chinchilas (Lucena et al 2011).…”