Lecture 14 - Clostridium Flashcards
What are the histotoxic clostridiums?
Perfringens Chauvoei Haemolyticum Novyi type B + C Septicum Spordelli
What are the enterotoxic clostridiums?
Perfringens Colinum Difficile Piliforme Spiroforme
What are the general charactersitics of C. Chauvoei?
Gram+
Motile
Obiligate anaerobe
Subterminal/subcentral spores
What are the virulence factors in C. Chauvoei?
Alpha + beta + Delta
Neuraminidase
What does alpha toxin in C. Chauvoei do?
Hemolysin
What does beta toxin in C. Chauvoei do?
DNAase
What does delta toxin in C. Chauvoei do?
Pore forming
Where does C. Chauvoei infections tend to come from?
Soil, seeded by infected animals
How does C. Chauvoei get introduced into animal?
Spores ingested and transported from GI tract to other tissues
What cell type takes up C. Chauvoei?
Macrophages, will stay dorminant here
What disease is commonly associated with C. Chauvoei?
Blackleg
What animal/age group tends to be most affected by blackleg?
Young well fed cattle
Besides blackleg what other major symptom is seen with C. Chauvoei?
Gas gangrene aka malignant edema
What animals tend to come down with gas gangrene from C. Chauvoei?
Sheep and Cattle
Where does germination of C. Chauvoei spores occur?
Anoxic tissues
What role does alpha toxin play in the pathogenicity of C. Chauvoei?
Generates the lesion, metabolism of this is what creates the gas
What does a lesion cause by C. Chauvoei tend to look like?
Dry, dark, emphysematous
What causes blackleg physiologically?
Gangrenous cellulitis + myositis
What is needed to culture C. Chauvoei?
Strict anaerobe, rich in cysteine and water soluble vitamins
What is the basic treatment for C. Chauvoei?
Vaccination + Combo IV penicillin
What are the general characteritics of C. haemolyticum?
Gram+
Motile
Obligate anaerobe
Nonencapsulated
What does the spore from C. haemolyticum look like?
Large oval, highly heat resistant
What disease is seen with C. haemolyticum?
Red water disease
What animal is most commonly infected with C. haemolyticum?
Ruminants
When do C. haemolyticum infections occur most often?
Summer + Fall
What is the virulence factor in C. haemolyticum?
Beta toxin
What is beta toxin known as?
Phospholipase C
How long does death take with C. haemolyticum?
hours to days
What occurs with a C. haemolyticum infection?
Colonization of liver Liver fluke causes damage to the area now germinates Toxinogenesis Hemolytic crisis
What symptoms are seen with C. haemolyticum infections?
Fever + Pale icteric mucous membranes + Anorexia + Agalactia + Red urine
What diagnostic features are seen with C. haemolyticum?
Lesions in liver are pale, raised, and surrounded by bluish red zone
What is the basic treatment for C. haemolyticum?
If caught early broad spectrum AB’s (tetracycline)
Antitoxin
Blood transfusion
When should a vaccine for C. haemolyticum be given?
6 months
3 to 4 weeks before exposure
What are the general characteristics of C. Novyi?
Gram +
Motile
Obligate anaerobes
Non-encapsulated
What do spores from C. Novyi look like?
Large oval, highly heat resistant
What two disease are seen with C. Novyi?
Big head + Black disease
What does black disease conincide with?
Liver flukes (fasciola hepatica)
What animal is most commonly seen with black disease + big head?
Adult sheep in summer and fall
What are the virulence factors seen in C. Novyi?
Alpha + Beta + Novyilysin
What does alpha toxin do in C. Novyi?
Glycosyl transferase - cell signaling
What does beta toxin do in C. Novyi?
phospholipase C - cell membrane
What does novyilysin do in C. Novyi?
Pore forming - cholesterol rafts on cell membrane
What is the general pathogensis of C. Novyi?
Necrotizing + Lethal
What type of C. Novyi causes big head?
Type A
What happens with big head disease?
Due to rams head butting
Muscles —> spores germinate
leading to edema in head + neck + cranial thorax