Difference between revisions of "Clostridium species"
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− | + | <big><center>[[Infectious agents and parasites|'''BACK TO INFECTIOUS AGENTS AND PARASITES''']]</center></big> | |
+ | <big><center>[[Bacteria|'''BACK TO BACTERIA''']]</center></big> | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Overview=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Organisms present in the soil, alimentary tract and faeces | ||
+ | *Endospores may be present in liver and may be reactivated to cause disease | ||
+ | *Neurotoxic clostridia, ''Clostridium tetani'' and ''Clostridium botulinum'' affect neuromuscular function but cause no tissue damage | ||
+ | *Histotoxic clostridia cause localised lesions in tissues and may cause toxaemia | ||
+ | *''C. perfringens'' cause inflammatory lesions in the gastrointestinal tract and enterotoxaemias in sheep | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===Characteristics=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Large Gram-positive rods | ||
+ | *Obligate anaerobes | ||
+ | *Fermentative, catalase negative, oxidase negative | ||
+ | *Straight or slightly curved | ||
+ | *Motile by flagellae | ||
+ | *Require enriched media for growth | ||
+ | *Produce endospores which vary in shape and location and cause bulging of mother cell | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===Pathogenesis and pathogenicity=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Produce extracellular digestive enzymes and toxic substance known as exotoxins | ||
+ | *Exotoxins cause necrosis, haemolysis and death | ||
+ | *Collagenase, hyaluronidase and DNase enymes facilitate spread through tissues | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===''Clostridium tetani''=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Causes [[Tremors and Movement Disorders - Nervous System#Tetanus|tetanus]] | ||
+ | *Acute, potentially fatal intoxication affecting many species | ||
+ | *Horses and man particularly susceptible; carnivores fairly resistant | ||
+ | *Found in horse faeces | ||
+ | *Characteristics: | ||
+ | **Terminal, spherical endospores give mother cells a drumstick appearance | ||
+ | **Enodospores resistant to boiling and chemicals but susceptible to autoclaving | ||
+ | **Swarming growth and haemolytic on blood agar | ||
+ | **Many serotypes but all produce same neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, therefore antibodies neutralise all | ||
+ | *Pathogenesis: | ||
+ | **Endospores introduced via damaaged tissues e.g. penetrating wounds | ||
+ | **Anaerobic conditions in the damaged tissue creates an anaerobic environment, allowing germination of spores | ||
+ | **Tetanospasmin made by bacteria replicating in damaged tissue | ||
+ | **Absorbed toxin affects neuromuscular junction distant from site of toxin production | ||
+ | **Neurotoxin binds irreversibly to ganglioside receptors on motor neurons and is transported to nerve cell body | ||
+ | **Toxins transported to terminals of inhibitory neurons where they block transmission of signals | ||
+ | **Spastic paralysis results | ||
+ | **Toxin can be blood-borne and bind to motor terminals throughout the body as well as in the CNS | ||
+ | *Clinical signs: | ||
+ | ** | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===''Clostridium botulinum''=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * | ||
+ | *The toxin also causes [[Muscles - degenerative#Botulism|botulism]] | ||
+ | *Toxin produced in decaying organic matter absorbed from GIT into the blood and affects neuromuscular junction | ||
+ | *Implicated in [[Intestines - physical disturbances#Equine dysautonomia, or grass sickness|equine grass sickness]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===Clostridium chauvei=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Causes [[General Pathology - Necrosis#Gas Gangrene|gas gangrene]], along with [[Clostridium species#Clostridium septicum|''Clostridium septicum'']]. | ||
+ | * Infects muscles giving black leg [[Muscles - inflammatory#Black leg|myositis]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Clostridium novyi=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Causes [[General Pathology - Necrosis#Gas Gangrene|gas gangrene]] and [[Muscles - inflammatory#Gas gangrene|myositis]]. | ||
+ | *May be involved in [[Bacterial skin infections#Systemic bacterial infections|cutaneous lesions]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Clostridium perfringens=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Causes: | ||
+ | ** [[Intestines - Fibrinous/ Haemorrhagic Enteritis#Lamb Dysentery (Enterotoxaemia with Blood)|Lamb dysentery]] | ||
+ | ** [[Intestines - Fibrinous/ Haemorrhagic Enteritis#Colitis X|Colitis X]]. | ||
+ | ** [[Intestines - Catarrhal Enteritis#"Pulpy Kidney" Disease|Pulpy kidney disease]] | ||
+ | *** ''C. perfringens'' type D only. | ||
+ | ** [[Peritoneal cavity - inflammatory#In cattle|Peritonitis in cattle]] | ||
+ | ** [[Respiratory system - clinical signs#Dysphagia|Dysphagia in horses]] | ||
+ | ** [[General Pathology - Necrosis#Gas Gangrene|Gas gangrene]] | ||
+ | ** [[Muscles - inflammatory#Gas gangrene|Myositis]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Clostridium septicum=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Causes [[General Pathology - Necrosis#Gas Gangrene|gas gangrene]] and [[Muscles - inflammatory#Gas gangrene|myositis]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Clostridium sordelli=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Causes [[General Pathology - Necrosis#Gas Gangrene|gas gangrene]] and [[Muscles - inflammatory#Gas gangrene|myositis]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ===Diagnosis=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Anaerobic transport medium | ||
+ | *Culture on blood agar enriched with yeast extract, vitamin K and haemin | ||
+ | *Anaerobic culture with hydrogen supplement and 5-10% carbon dioxide | ||
+ | *''C. perfringens'' colonies are surrounded by a zone of double haemolysis | ||
+ | *Biochemical tests | ||
+ | *Toxins identified in body fluids by toxin neutralisation or protection tests in lab animals | ||
+ | *Fluorescent antibody tests for histotoxic clostridia | ||
+ | *ELISA, PCR for toxin detection |
Revision as of 14:55, 18 May 2008
Overview
- Organisms present in the soil, alimentary tract and faeces
- Endospores may be present in liver and may be reactivated to cause disease
- Neurotoxic clostridia, Clostridium tetani and Clostridium botulinum affect neuromuscular function but cause no tissue damage
- Histotoxic clostridia cause localised lesions in tissues and may cause toxaemia
- C. perfringens cause inflammatory lesions in the gastrointestinal tract and enterotoxaemias in sheep
Characteristics
- Large Gram-positive rods
- Obligate anaerobes
- Fermentative, catalase negative, oxidase negative
- Straight or slightly curved
- Motile by flagellae
- Require enriched media for growth
- Produce endospores which vary in shape and location and cause bulging of mother cell
Pathogenesis and pathogenicity
- Produce extracellular digestive enzymes and toxic substance known as exotoxins
- Exotoxins cause necrosis, haemolysis and death
- Collagenase, hyaluronidase and DNase enymes facilitate spread through tissues
Clostridium tetani
- Causes tetanus
- Acute, potentially fatal intoxication affecting many species
- Horses and man particularly susceptible; carnivores fairly resistant
- Found in horse faeces
- Characteristics:
- Terminal, spherical endospores give mother cells a drumstick appearance
- Enodospores resistant to boiling and chemicals but susceptible to autoclaving
- Swarming growth and haemolytic on blood agar
- Many serotypes but all produce same neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, therefore antibodies neutralise all
- Pathogenesis:
- Endospores introduced via damaaged tissues e.g. penetrating wounds
- Anaerobic conditions in the damaged tissue creates an anaerobic environment, allowing germination of spores
- Tetanospasmin made by bacteria replicating in damaged tissue
- Absorbed toxin affects neuromuscular junction distant from site of toxin production
- Neurotoxin binds irreversibly to ganglioside receptors on motor neurons and is transported to nerve cell body
- Toxins transported to terminals of inhibitory neurons where they block transmission of signals
- Spastic paralysis results
- Toxin can be blood-borne and bind to motor terminals throughout the body as well as in the CNS
- Clinical signs:
Clostridium botulinum
- The toxin also causes botulism
- Toxin produced in decaying organic matter absorbed from GIT into the blood and affects neuromuscular junction
- Implicated in equine grass sickness
Clostridium chauvei
- Causes gas gangrene, along with Clostridium septicum.
- Infects muscles giving black leg myositis
Clostridium novyi
- Causes gas gangrene and myositis.
- May be involved in cutaneous lesions
Clostridium perfringens
- Causes:
- Lamb dysentery
- Colitis X.
- Pulpy kidney disease
- C. perfringens type D only.
- Peritonitis in cattle
- Dysphagia in horses
- Gas gangrene
- Myositis
Clostridium septicum
- Causes gas gangrene and myositis
Clostridium sordelli
- Causes gas gangrene and myositis
Diagnosis
- Anaerobic transport medium
- Culture on blood agar enriched with yeast extract, vitamin K and haemin
- Anaerobic culture with hydrogen supplement and 5-10% carbon dioxide
- C. perfringens colonies are surrounded by a zone of double haemolysis
- Biochemical tests
- Toxins identified in body fluids by toxin neutralisation or protection tests in lab animals
- Fluorescent antibody tests for histotoxic clostridia
- ELISA, PCR for toxin detection