Changes

These are addressed in many papers by Carman (1994) who refers to several factors that lead to the establishment of ''C. spiroforme'' in the rabbit gut, including parturition, weaning, change of diet, heat and dehydration,  taking blood, removal from germ-free isolation, shipping, old age and over-crowding. The diseases produced by [[:Category:Clostridium species|''Clostridia'']]  are usually so acute that they are seldom possible to treat successfully

These are addressed in many papers by Carman (1994) who refers to several factors that lead to the establishment of ''C. spiroforme'' in the rabbit gut, including parturition, weaning, change of diet, heat and dehydration,  taking blood, removal from germ-free isolation, shipping, old age and over-crowding. The diseases produced by [[:Category:Clostridium species|''Clostridia'']]  are usually so acute that they are seldom possible to treat successfully

[[Clostridium spiroforme|''C. spiroforme'']] colonises gut more frequently after weaning (young rabbits do not digest and absorb starch as efficiently as adults and carry a greater risk of unabsorbed carbohydrate reaching the caecum to act as a bacterial substrate from which toxins may be produced by the organism) and less frequently after antibiotics (Carman, 1994) and may be seen in Gram-stained faecal smears and is obvious morphologically  as it forms helices, U-, S- and C-shapes. ''C. spiroforme'' produces two types of toxins, iotaa  and iotaa which have antigenic properties, a property which might be exploited for the protection of baby rabbits after suitable research (Carman, 1994).  

[[Clostridium spiroforme|'''''C. spiroforme''''']] colonises gut more frequently after weaning (young rabbits do not digest and absorb starch as efficiently as adults and carry a greater risk of unabsorbed carbohydrate reaching the caecum to act as a bacterial substrate from which toxins may be produced by the organism) and less frequently after antibiotics (Carman, 1994) and may be seen in Gram-stained faecal smears and is obvious morphologically  as it forms helices, U-, S- and C-shapes. ''C. spiroforme'' produces two types of toxins, iotaa  and iotaa which have antigenic properties, a property which might be exploited for the protection of baby rabbits after suitable research (Carman, 1994).  

The role of ''C. perfringens'' types A and E in the production of diarrhoea in rabbits has yet to be clarified (Carman, 1994).

The role of ''C. perfringens'' types A and E in the production of diarrhoea in rabbits has yet to be clarified (Carman, 1994).