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Fingerhood S, Mendonça FS, Uzal FA, Marks SL, Vernau KM, Navarro MA, Choi EA. Tyzzer disease in 19 preweaned orphaned kittens. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:212-216. [PMID: 36772788 PMCID: PMC9999403 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231154554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium piliforme, the agent of Tyzzer disease, has traditionally not been considered a major pathogen of cats. We queried the database of the Pathology Service of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, for kittens <6-mo-old autopsied between 2000-2021 that had colitis, hepatitis, and/or myocarditis; 37 cases met the search criteria. Sections of colon, liver, and heart from these 37 cats were stained with modified Steiner; 19 of 37 (51%) cases had intraepithelial, Steiner-positive rods compatible with C. piliforme in at least one organ, confirming Tyzzer disease. The affected age range was 7-42 d (median: 17.5 d). Eighteen were orphaned kittens. Colitis was the major lesion (18 of 19) followed by random hepatitis (11 of 19). Perianal dermatitis with intraepithelial stacked rods was seen in 2 of 19. Myocarditis was not evident in any of the cases. A PCR assay for C. piliforme on 10 selected cases using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks was positive or suspected in colon (5 of 10), liver (5 of 10), and heart (1 of 10). The modified Steiner stain was more sensitive in the detection of bacteria than PCR on FFPE samples. Fifteen kittens had comorbidities. A weakened immune state caused by maternal, environmental, infectious, and/or nutritional causes is speculated to have contributed to disease onset. We found that Tyzzer disease is more common than previously believed in orphaned kittens and should be considered in kittens with colitis and/or hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Fingerhood
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Current address: Veterinary Pathology Centre, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Fábio S Mendonça
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, San Bernadino Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, San Bernadino Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Stanley L Marks
- Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Karen M Vernau
- Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Mauricio A Navarro
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Eunju April Choi
- Departments of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Mete A, Eigenheer A, Goodnight A, Woods L. Clostridium piliforme encephalitis in a weaver bird (Ploceus castaneiceps). J Vet Diagn Invest 2011; 23:1240-2. [DOI: 10.1177/1040638711425594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A juvenile Taveta golden weaver ( Ploceus castaneiceps) bird housed in a zoo aviary developed a sudden onset of neurological signs. The bird demonstrated head tilt, rolling onto its back, and inability to perch. Euthanasia was elected due to lack of response to intensive care, and a necropsy was performed. There were no significant abnormal findings on gross examination. On histopathology, the remarkable findings were localized to the brain and consisted of multifocal cerebral microabscesses and rarefaction. Filamentous rod-shaped bacteria were present within and at the periphery of the necrotic foci, and dispersed throughout the neuroparenchyma and intracellularly in neurons. The bacteria were Gram negative, and Warthin–Starry stain demonstrated characteristic “hay stacking.” Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of the brain identified the agent as Clostridium piliforme. An additional microscopic finding was severe crypt enteritis; however, the bacteria were not observed in the intestinal sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslı Mete
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA (Mete, Eigenheer, Woods)
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA (Goodnight)
| | - Andrea Eigenheer
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA (Mete, Eigenheer, Woods)
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA (Goodnight)
| | - Andrea Goodnight
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA (Mete, Eigenheer, Woods)
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA (Goodnight)
| | - Leslie Woods
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, University of California–Davis, Davis, CA (Mete, Eigenheer, Woods)
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA (Goodnight)
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