Clostridium perfringens type B

• Lamb dysentery
• Up to 30% morbidity and high mortality
• Affects lambs in first week of life
• Abdominal distension, pain, bloody faeces, sudden death
• Bacterial overgrowth in the intestine of the lamb due to immature bacterial flora
• Lack of proteases in the immature gut prevents cleavage of the beta toxin, allowing it to cause disease
• Also alpha and epsilon toxins
• Haemorrhagic enteritis and ulceration in the small intestine
• Fluid in the peritoneal cavity and pericardial sac due to increased capillary permeability (beta toxin)
• Fatal haemorrhagic enteritis in newborn foals, calves and adult goats