Clostridia species associated with the GIT

Question 1

How many species does the genus clostridium contain?

Answer 1

203 species

Question 2

What are 6 common species of clostridium?

Answer 2

Perfringens, Tetani, Botulinum, Difficile, Novyi, Sordellii

Question 3

What kind of bacteria is clostridia?

Answer 3

• Gram positive, capsulated, anerobic, endospore producing rods

Question 4

How may you culture clostridium using blood agar?

Answer 4

incubate anaerobically at 35-37 degrees for 40-48 hours

Question 5

How may you culture clostridium using egg yolk agar?

Answer 5

incubate anaerobically at 35-37 degrees for 16-24 hours

Question 6

How can you grow clostridium in cooked meat broth?

Answer 6

incubate anerobically at 35-37 degrees for 16-24 hours

Question 7

What does c. chauveoi cause?

Answer 7

Black leg, in mainly cattle

Question 8

What is braxy?

Answer 8

Acute disease of sheep caused by C. septicum and characterised by
inflammation of the abomasal wall and toxaemia.

Question 9

What is considered to be one of the highest causes of sudden death in sheep and cattle?

Answer 9

Clostridial diseases

Question 10

What does c.septicum cause?

Answer 10

braxy, malignant oedema and necrotic dermatitis

Question 11

What can clostridium cause in wildlife?

Answer 11

Botulism, entertoxaemias, and sudden death

Question 12

What is enterotoxaemia and what causes it?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What is the alpha toxin in enterotoxaemia?

Answer 13

Lecthinase, this attacks cell membranes causing cell death and destruction

Question 14

What is the epsilon toxin in entertoxaemia?

Answer 14

A protoxin that is activated in the intestines by proteases, this toxin increases gut permeability and damages vascular endothelium

Question 15

What clostridium causes tetanus in horses?

Answer 15

Clostridium tetani

Question 16

What clostridum species are associated with disease in pigs?

Answer 16

• Enteritis is caused by C. perfringens
• Sudden death can be caused by C. novyi (considered when sow mortality rises above 4%)

Question 17

What does a clostridial disease look like in sows?

Answer 17

Sudden death, gangrene characterised by painful and discoloured swellings.
fluid and gas are also present in the tissues

Question 18

What does a clostridial disease look like in piglets?

Answer 18

• Rotten smelling watery diarrhoea
• necrosis of the small intestine
• High mortality
  *

Question 19

What does clostridial disease look like in weaners and growers?

Answer 19

• Sudden death in growing pigs
• Haemorrhage- faeces
• Diarrhoea
• painful and discoloured swellings
• gangrene

Question 20

What is tyzzer disease?

Answer 20

• Caused by clostridium piliforme
• characterised by profuse watery diarrhoea
• anorexia, diarrhoea, staining of hindquarters
• acute outbreaks have an over 90% mortality

Question 21

What is mucoid enteropathy?

Answer 21

a distinct diarrhoeal disease of rabbits, characterised by minimal inflammation, hypersecretion and accumulation of mucous in the small and large intestines

Question 22

What causes necrotic enteritis in poultry?

Answer 22

Clostridium perfringens

Question 23

What causes botulism in poultry?

Answer 23

Clostridium
botulinum

Question 24

What kind of birds does necrotic enteritis effect?

Answer 24

chickens, turkeys, ducks and wild-birds

Question 25

What do the kidneys look like in birds with necrotic enteritis?

Answer 25

pale, prominent, lobular outlines

Question 26

What are some of the predisposing factors for avian necrotic enteritis?

Answer 26

• Certain feeds
• Coccidiosis
• Viral infection
• Husbandry practices
• Potentially breed

Question 27

What are some of the clinical signs of avian necrotic enteritis?

Answer 27

• acute- birds die without showing clinical signs
• mild forms- birds huddle, have ruffled feathers and appear depressed
• untreated, the disease lasts for two weeks

Question 28

Which clostridium member is not motile with petrichous flagella?

Answer 28

Clostridium perfringens

Question 29

What two exotoxins does clostridum tetani produce?

Answer 29

Tetanolysin and tetanospasmin

Question 30

What is the function of tetanolysin?

Answer 30

lysis of RBC’s

Question 31

What is the function of tetanospasmin?

Answer 31

neurotoxin

Question 32

What is the name of the lethal toxin produced by C.sordelli?

Answer 32

Beta-Toxin

Question 33

Name 4 ways you could culture clostridium

Answer 33

1. Agar containing blood incubated anaerobically
2. Egg yolk agar incubated anaerobically
3. Robertsons cooked meat broth incubated anerobically

Question 34

What is braxy characterised by?

Answer 34

Inflammation of the abomasal wall and toxaemia

Question 35

What is clostridia associated with in wildlife?

Answer 35

Botulism, Enterotoxaemia, Sudden Death

Question 36

What is an alpha toxin?

Answer 36

Lecithinase- it attacks cell membranes causing cell death and destruction

Question 37

What is a beta toxin?

Answer 37

Lethal and necrotising

Question 38

What is an epsilon toxin?

Answer 38

Protoxin activated in the intestine by proteases, the toxin increases gut permeability and damages vascular endothelium

Question 39

What is an iota toxin?

Answer 39

A protoxin

Question 40

What is mucoid enteropathy?

Answer 40

• Distinct diarrheal disease in rabbits
• characterised by minimal inflammation

Question 41

What does necrotic enteritis cause?

Answer 41

Intestinal necrosis and cholangiohepatitis, kidneys often have pale, prominent, lobular outlines

Question 42

What are some ‘farm-level’ control measures for necrotic enteritis?

Answer 42

• Biosecurity
• Effective cleaning and disinfection
• Effective pasture management
• Surveillance
• Removal of predisposing factors

Question 43

What are some ‘animal level’ control measures for necrotic enteritis?

Answer 43

• Keep animals away from stagnating water
• Ensure young animals receive colostrum
• Avoid starchy feed
• Avoid stress
• Vaccination