Invasive Clostridia

Question 1

Invasive clostridia - Description

Answer 1

Gram + *Spore forming, Anaerobic rods - *Fermentative - Catalase & oxidase negative - *Motile (peritricous flagella like Listeria, C. perfringens nonmotile) - CAMP positive with S. agalactiae

Question 2

What is the most frequently isolated pathogenic bacterium of Gas gangrene, Endotoxemias & Diarrhea in ruminants?

Answer 2

C. perfringens

Question 3

Invasive C. perfringens toxins

Answer 3

Alpha - Beta - Epsilon - Iota - Perfringolysin O - Enterotoxin

Question 4

Alpha toxin

Answer 4

Hemolysis, necrosis, lethality Especially C. perfringens

Question 5

Beta toxin

Answer 5

Pore-forming (inhibited by colostrum trypsin inhibitors)

Question 6

Epsilon toxin

Answer 6

Necrotizing & lethal - brain and kidney - activated by trypsin

Question 7

Iota toxin

Answer 7

Cellular cytoskeleton & death of affected cell

Question 8

Perfringolysin O

Answer 8

Cholesterol-binding, escape from phagolysosome

Question 9

Enterotoxin

Answer 9

Fluid & electrolyte abnormalities

Question 10

C. perfringens disease patterns - Wound infection

Answer 10

Type A - alpha toxin - anaerobic Cellulitis & gas gangrene - Myonecrosis w/edema, hemorrhage, emphysema fatal toxemia - OFTEN from needle sharing between equines

Question 11

C. perfringens disease patterns - Enterotoxiemias Type A

Answer 11

Tissue destruction - Yellow lamb dz - Hemorrhagic/Necrotic enteritis - Canine hemorrhagic gastroenteritis

Question 12

Describe Yellow lamb disease

Answer 12

Gastritis and hemolytic disease caused by C. perfringens

Question 13

C. perfringens disease patterns - Enterotoxemias Type B

Answer 13

Old world diseases - Lamb Dysentary - B toxin (trypsin-susceptible) - Rapidly fatal, 100% mortality

Question 14

C. perfringens disease patterns - Enterotoxemias Type C

Answer 14

NEONATAL hemorrhagic enteritis (calves, foals, piglets, lambs) - B toxin virulence! - “Stuck” in older sheep (looks like was “struck by lightening”)

Question 15

C. perfringens disease patterns - Enterotoxemia Type D

Answer 15

Older animals - Epsilon toxin! - Overeating dz - Pulpy kidney dz

Question 16

When I say OverEating dz or Pulpy kidney dz, you say…

Answer 16

Enterotoxemia Type D! Invasive C. perfringens!

Question 17

Clostridia disease patterns - Enterotoxigenic diarrhea

Answer 17

Enterotoxin CpE –> sporulation - Watery to hemorrhagic diarrhea - VERY common food-related dz in humans

Question 18

Clostridium difficile - Pathogenesis

Answer 18

Enterotoxin - Toxin A - Trigger event–> disrupt normal flora & colonize –> adhere to large intestine –> toxin production –> intense inflammatory response –> diarrhea

Question 19

Clostridium novyi - Type 1 infections & toxins

Answer 19

Alpha & Delta toxin (Novyilysin) - Gas gangrene - Big head (fight injury in rams, toxic endothelial damage–> edema)

Question 20

When I say Big head in rams, you say

Answer 20

C. novyi type 1

Question 21

C. novyi Type 2 infections & toxins

Answer 21

Alpha & Beta toxins - Black disease (pericardial edema) - Iron Chocolate Liver

Question 22

C. novyi Type 2 pathogenesis

Answer 22

Spores mobilized, intestine–> liver –> dormant in Kupffer cells –> hepatocytes damaged from fluke migration!!!!!!–> spores germinate –> B toxin production & dissemination –> sudden death

Question 23

C. novyi Type 2 pathogenesis - Secondary effects/signs

Answer 23

SQ venous congestion secondary to pericardial edema - Gas bubbles in the liver

Question 24

When you see gas bubbles in the liver, you think

Answer 24

C. novyi type 2!!

Question 25

Black Disease or Iron Chocolate Liver

Answer 25

C. novyi type 2!!

Question 26

C. novyi Prevention/Tx?

Answer 26

Prevent flukes!! no fluke, no liver damage, no release of toxin

Question 27

Clostridium haemolyticum

Answer 27

Resembles C. novyi type 2 - Phospholipase C and Beta toxin virulence factor!! - Hemolytic crisis & acute death - Bacillary hemoglobinuria or “red water” disease of ruminants

Question 28

When I say “red water diseases” of ruminants, you say…

Answer 28

C. haemolyticum!

Question 29

Clostridium septicum general info

Answer 29

Leading cause of farm animal wound infestation - Malignant Edema - Braxy or bradsot - Alpha toxin*** - Spores maybe latent in muscle - Guarded prognosis

Question 30

Clostridium septicum - Malignant edema pathogenesis

Answer 30

Direct contamination –> hemorrhage, edema, necrosis –> painful,warm, pitting lesions –> becomes cold, crepitant, loses feeling –> death

Question 31

When I say malignant edema, you say…

Answer 31

Clostridium septicum!

Question 32

When I say bradsot or braxy, you say

Answer 32

Clostridium septicum!

Question 33

Clostridium chauvoei - Main disease pattern

Answer 33

BLACK LEG!! - necrotizing myositis in cattle

Question 34

When I say Black Leg, you say…

Answer 34

Clostridium chauvoei!

Question 35

C. chauvoei general info

Answer 35

Endogenous, soil-acquired infection, ingestion or injury maybe too - Alpha toxin!! (hemolytic, necrotizing, lethal) - May resemble gas gangrene / malignant edema

Question 36

C. chauvoei pathogenesis

Answer 36

Toxins & bacterial metabolism (fermentation gases) cause intitial lesion –> seeding of tissue (muscle) with spores from intestine –> edema, hemorrhage, myofibrillar necrosis

Question 37

C. piliforme

Answer 37

Tyzzer’s disease - acute fatal diarrheal disease in foals, rabbits, lab mice etc

Question 38

When I say Tyzzer’s disease, you say…

Answer 38

C. piliforme!

Question 39

C. sordeii

Answer 39

Fatal myositis & hepatic disease in ruminants and horses

Question 40

C. colinum

Answer 40

Quail disease, ulcerative enteritis & necrotizing hepatitis

Question 41

C. spiroforme

Answer 41

Juvenile enteritis in rabbits

Question 42

Type A Clostridial Wound Infection DDx

Answer 42

Malignant edema, Black Leg, Big Head of Rams