Clostridia species associated with the GIT Flashcards
How many species does the genus clostridium contain?
203 species
What are 6 common species of clostridium?
Perfringens, Tetani, Botulinum, Difficile, Novyi, Sordellii
What kind of bacteria is clostridia?
- Gram positive, capsulated, anerobic, endospore producing rods
How may you culture clostridium using blood agar?
incubate anaerobically at 35-37 degrees for 40-48 hours
How may you culture clostridium using egg yolk agar?
incubate anaerobically at 35-37 degrees for 16-24 hours
How can you grow clostridium in cooked meat broth?
incubate anerobically at 35-37 degrees for 16-24 hours
What does c. chauveoi cause?
Black leg, in mainly cattle
What is braxy?
Acute disease of sheep caused by C. septicum and characterised by
inflammation of the abomasal wall and toxaemia.
What is considered to be one of the highest causes of sudden death in sheep and cattle?
Clostridial diseases
What does c.septicum cause?
braxy, malignant oedema and necrotic dermatitis
What can clostridium cause in wildlife?
Botulism, entertoxaemias, and sudden death
What is enterotoxaemia and what causes it?
acute and highly fatal intoxication primarily affecting sheep, lambs, calves, piglets
The disease is caused by the ingestion of C.perfringens and the subsequent production of enterotoxins
What is the alpha toxin in enterotoxaemia?
Lecthinase, this attacks cell membranes causing cell death and destruction
What is the epsilon toxin in entertoxaemia?
A protoxin that is activated in the intestines by proteases, this toxin increases gut permeability and damages vascular endothelium
What clostridium causes tetanus in horses?
Clostridium tetani
What clostridum species are associated with disease in pigs?
- Enteritis is caused by C. perfringens
- Sudden death can be caused by C. novyi (considered when sow mortality rises above 4%)
What does a clostridial disease look like in sows?
Sudden death, gangrene characterised by painful and discoloured swellings.
fluid and gas are also present in the tissues
What does a clostridial disease look like in piglets?
- Rotten smelling watery diarrhoea
- necrosis of the small intestine
- High mortality
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What does clostridial disease look like in weaners and growers?
- Sudden death in growing pigs
- Haemorrhage- faeces
- Diarrhoea
- painful and discoloured swellings
- gangrene
What is tyzzer disease?
- Caused by clostridium piliforme
- characterised by profuse watery diarrhoea
- anorexia, diarrhoea, staining of hindquarters
- acute outbreaks have an over 90% mortality
What is mucoid enteropathy?
a distinct diarrhoeal disease of rabbits, characterised by minimal inflammation, hypersecretion and accumulation of mucous in the small and large intestines
What causes necrotic enteritis in poultry?
Clostridium perfringens
What causes botulism in poultry?
Clostridium
botulinum
What kind of birds does necrotic enteritis effect?
chickens, turkeys, ducks and wild-birds
What do the kidneys look like in birds with necrotic enteritis?
pale, prominent, lobular outlines
What are some of the predisposing factors for avian necrotic enteritis?
- Certain feeds
- Coccidiosis
- Viral infection
- Husbandry practices
- Potentially breed
What are some of the clinical signs of avian necrotic enteritis?
- acute- birds die without showing clinical signs
- mild forms- birds huddle, have ruffled feathers and appear depressed
- untreated, the disease lasts for two weeks
Which clostridium member is not motile with petrichous flagella?
Clostridium perfringens
What two exotoxins does clostridum tetani produce?
Tetanolysin and tetanospasmin
What is the function of tetanolysin?
lysis of RBC’s
What is the function of tetanospasmin?
neurotoxin
What is the name of the lethal toxin produced by C.sordelli?
Beta-Toxin
Name 4 ways you could culture clostridium
- Agar containing blood incubated anaerobically
- Egg yolk agar incubated anaerobically
- Robertsons cooked meat broth incubated anerobically
What is braxy characterised by?
Inflammation of the abomasal wall and toxaemia
What is clostridia associated with in wildlife?
Botulism, Enterotoxaemia, Sudden Death
What is an alpha toxin?
Lecithinase- it attacks cell membranes causing cell death and destruction
What is a beta toxin?
Lethal and necrotising
What is an epsilon toxin?
Protoxin activated in the intestine by proteases, the toxin increases gut permeability and damages vascular endothelium
What is an iota toxin?
A protoxin
What is mucoid enteropathy?
- Distinct diarrheal disease in rabbits
- characterised by minimal inflammation
What does necrotic enteritis cause?
Intestinal necrosis and cholangiohepatitis, kidneys often have pale, prominent, lobular outlines
What are some ‘farm-level’ control measures for necrotic enteritis?
- Biosecurity
- Effective cleaning and disinfection
- Effective pasture management
- Surveillance
- Removal of predisposing factors
What are some ‘animal level’ control measures for necrotic enteritis?
- Keep animals away from stagnating water
- Ensure young animals receive colostrum
- Avoid starchy feed
- Avoid stress
- Vaccination
