Category:Enteropathogenic and Enterotoxaemic Clostridia

• General:
  • Clostridium perfringens types B, C and D
  • Found in soil, feaces and intestinal tract
  • Survive in soil as spores
  • Husbandry, changes in diet and environment predispose to proliferation in the intestine
  • Abrupt changes to rich diets and intestinal hypomotility due to overeating
• Pathogenesis and pathogenicity:
  • Clostridial replication and overgrowth in the interstinal tract of sheep
  • Production of potent exotoxins which cause local and systemic effects of enterotoxaemia
  • Type of toxins produced determine clinical syndrome
  • Haemolysins, collagenases and hyaluronidases also produced

<ncl style=bullet maxdepth=4 headings=bullet headstart=2 showcats=1 showarts=1>Category:Enteropathogenic and Enterotoxaemic Clostridia</ncl>

Treatment and control of enterotoxaemic infections

• Hyperimmune serum
• Vaccination - vaccinate ewes with toxoid 6 weeks before lambing to allow passive protection of lambs
• Vaccination of lambs with toxoid before 2 months of age to protect against pulpy kidney
• Avoid sudden dietary changes