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García JA, Navarro MA, Fresneda K, Uzal FA. Clostridium piliforme infection (Tyzzer disease) in horses: retrospective study of 25 cases and literature review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022; 34:421-428. [PMID: 34238069 PMCID: PMC9254052 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211031213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyzzer disease (TD) is caused by Clostridium piliforme, a gram-negative and obligate intracellular bacterium. The disease occurs in multiple species. A triad of lesions, namely colitis, hepatitis, and myocarditis, is described in cases of TD in some species, such as rats and mice. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 25 equine cases with a diagnosis of TD; 24 of 25 cases occurred in foals <45 d old; the remaining foal was 90 d old. There were 12 males and 12 females; no sex information was available for one foal. The affected breeds were Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Paint, and Hanoverian. Most of the cases (19 of 25) occurred in the spring. There were 9 cases of sudden death; the remaining animals had diarrhea, fever, distended abdomen, depression, weakness, non-responsiveness, and/or recumbency. Gross findings included icterus, hepatomegaly with acinar pattern, serosal hemorrhages, pulmonary edema, and/or fluid content in small and large intestine. Microscopically, all foals had severe, multifocal, necrotizing hepatitis. Necrotizing lymphohistiocytic colitis was observed in 10 of 25 foals, and multifocal necrotizing myocarditis was found in 8 of 25. Gram-negative, Steiner-positive, intracytoplasmic filamentous bacteria were observed in hepatocytes, enterocytes, and myocardiocytes, respectively. PCR detected C. piliforme DNA in the liver (24 of 24), colon (20 of 24), and heart (5 of 25). Our results indicate that necrotic hepatitis is the hallmark of TD in horses; the so-called triad of lesions is not a consistent characteristic of the disease in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A. García
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas
y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauricio A. Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety
Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California–Davis,
San Bernardino, CA, USA
- Instituto de Patología Animal, Facultad de
Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile
| | - Karina Fresneda
- California Animal Health and Food Safety
Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California–Davis,
San Bernardino, CA, USA
| | - Francisco A. Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety
Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California–Davis,
San Bernardino, CA, USA
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Rich AF, Zendri F, Costa T, Timofte D, Drake GJ, Rowland H, Ashpole I, Moore A, Chantrey J. Nectarivorous Bird Emphysematous Ingluvitis (NBEI): A Novel Disease in Loriinae Birds Associated With Clostridium perfringens Infection. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:606112. [PMID: 33251274 PMCID: PMC7674492 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.606112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A retrospective study revealed ten cases of emphysematous ingluvitis in Loriinae birds from two zoological collections between 2009 and 2020. Common clinical features were sudden death with gas distention of the crop, subcutaneous cervical emphysema and poor body condition, but also included collapse, hypothermia and abandonment. Macroscopic examination revealed moderate crop enlargement, distention and thickening with minimal intraluminal content, and moderate to severe submucosal to transmural gas-filled cysts (emphysema). Histopathology identified widespread transmural multifocal to coalescing empty pseudo-cystic cavities with lytic necrosis, pyo-/granulomatous inflammatory infiltrates, epithelial ulceration, parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, epithelial ballooning degeneration, and occasional intralesional rod-shaped bacteria. The lesion may have impaired the birds' ability to ingest food, resulting in suboptimal body condition. Necrotizing to granulomatous aspiration pneumonia was also a feature in some cases. Anaerobic bacterial culture of four crops identified Clostridium perfringens with associated toxin genes for alpha and occasionally beta2 toxin (cpa and cpb2 genes respectively), by PCR analysis of bacterial isolates cultured from fresh or frozen tissue. C. perfringens was identified as the common etiological agent of emphysematous ingluvitis in crop and/or liver (six out of ten birds), and type A was confirmed in five birds. C. perfringens was not detected in the crop nor liver of two unaffected Loriinae birds. This is the first publication that characterizes nectarivorous bird emphysematous ingluvitis (NBEI), attributes C. perfringens as an etiological agent, and highlights this novel disease as an important cause of death in Loriinae birds, particularly in nestling and fledgling stage of development, but also in older lorikeets and lories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F Rich
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, United Kingdom
| | - Flavia Zendri
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, United Kingdom
| | - Taiana Costa
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, United Kingdom
| | - Dorina Timofte
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, United Kingdom
| | - Gabby J Drake
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Rowland
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Ashpole
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Moore
- Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Goosnargh, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Chantrey
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Clostridia can cause hepatic damage in domestic livestock, and wild and laboratory animals. Clostridium novyi type B causes infectious necrotic hepatitis (INH) in sheep and less frequently in other species. Spores of C. novyi type B can be present in soil; after ingestion, they reach the liver via portal circulation where they persist in phagocytic cells. Following liver damage, frequently caused by migrating parasites, local anaerobic conditions allow germination of the clostridial spores and production of toxins. C. novyi type B alpha toxin causes necrotizing hepatitis and extensive edema, congestion, and hemorrhage in multiple organs. Clostridium haemolyticum causes bacillary hemoglobinuria (BH) in cattle, sheep, and rarely, horses. Beta toxin is the main virulence factor of C. haemolyticum, causing hepatic necrosis and hemolysis. Clostridium piliforme, the causal agent of Tyzzer disease (TD), is the only gram-negative and obligate intracellular pathogenic clostridia. TD occurs in multiple species, but it is more frequent in foals, lagomorphs, and laboratory animals. The mode of transmission is fecal-oral, with ingestion of spores from a fecal-contaminated environment. In affected animals, C. piliforme proliferates in the intestinal mucosa, resulting in necrosis, and then disseminates to the liver and other organs. Virulence factors for this microorganism have not been identified, to date. Given the peracute or acute nature of clostridial hepatitis in animals, treatment is rarely effective. However, INH and BH can be prevented, and should be controlled by vaccination and control of liver flukes. To date, no vaccine is available to prevent TD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio A Navarro
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Navarro, Uzal)
| | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino, CA (Navarro, Uzal)
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Barnes KH, Piripi SA, Löhr CV. Pathology in practice. Tyzzer's disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2013; 242:765-7. [PMID: 23445285 DOI: 10.2460/javma.242.6.765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine H Barnes
- College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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YOSHIDA K, NIBE K, NAKAMURA T, TAKAHASHI T, KOMATSU M, OGAWA H, SHIROTA K, CHAMBERS JK, NAKAYAMA H, UCHIDA K. Spontaneous Tyzzer’s Disease with the Central Nerve Involvement in a Newborn Common Marmoset. J Vet Med Sci 2013; 75:1119-21. [DOI: 10.1292/jvms.13-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Keiko YOSHIDA
- Sanritsu Zelkova Veterinary Laboratory, 2–5–8 Kuji, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213–0032, Japan
| | - Kazumi NIBE
- Sanritsu Zelkova Veterinary Laboratory, 2–5–8 Kuji, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213–0032, Japan
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2–5–8 Kuji, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213–0032, Japan
| | - Takashi NAKAMURA
- Sanritsu Zelkova Veterinary Laboratory, 2–5–8 Kuji, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213–0032, Japan
| | - Taku TAKAHASHI
- Akita Omoriyama Zoo, 154 Katabata, Hamada, Akita, Akita 010–1654, Japan
| | - Mamoru KOMATSU
- Akita Omoriyama Zoo, 154 Katabata, Hamada, Akita, Akita 010–1654, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki OGAWA
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2–5–8 Kuji, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 213–0032, Japan
| | - Kinji SHIROTA
- Research Institute of Biosciences, Azabu University, 1–17–71 Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229–8501, Japan
| | - James K. CHAMBERS
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki NAKAYAMA
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki UCHIDA
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113–8657, Japan
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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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Pritt S, Henderson KS, Shek WR. Evaluation of available diagnostic methods for Clostridium piliforme in laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Lab Anim 2010; 44:14-9. [DOI: 10.1258/la.2009.008079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent literature has indicated that animals seropositive for Clostridium piliforme may have negative findings on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. This study examines and reports on the results of serology, PCR and histopathology tests performed on a group of 20 laboratory rabbits seropositive for C. piliforme using the latest available diagnostic methodologies. The presence of the organism was not confirmed by either PCR or histopathology in this group of 20 for C. piliforme seropositive rabbits. This presents challenges for laboratory animal veterinarians and scientists wishing to establish the presence of the organism with commonly available diagnostic methods and means that clinical signs of disease in addition to diagnostic results must be interpreted together.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Pritt
- Covance Research Products, Inc, PO Box 7200, Denver PA 17517, USA
| | - K S Henderson
- Charles River, 251 Ballardvale Street, Wilmington MA 01887, USA
| | - W R Shek
- Charles River, 251 Ballardvale Street, Wilmington MA 01887, USA
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Doneley RJT. Bacterial and parasitic diseases of parrots. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2009; 12:417-32, Table of Contents. [PMID: 19732702 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2009.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
As wild-caught birds become increasingly rare in aviculture, there is a corresponding decline in the incidence of bacterial and parasitic problems and an increase in the recognition of the importance of maintaining health through better nutrition and husbandry. Nevertheless, the relatively close confines of captivity mean an increased pathogen load in the environment in which companion and aviary parrots live. This increased pathogen load leads to greater exposure of these birds to bacteria and parasites, and consequently a greater risk of infection and disease. This article discusses bacterial and parasitic infections in companion and aviary parrots. It includes the origins, pathogens, diagnosis, treatment, and some of the associated risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J T Doneley
- West Toowoomba Veterinary Surgery, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia.
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Simpson VR, Hargreaves J, Birtles RJ, Marsden H, Williams DL. Tyzzer's disease in a Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Scotland. Vet Rec 2008; 163:539-43. [PMID: 18978367 DOI: 10.1136/vr.163.18.539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
A Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) cub found in weak condition on the Isle of Harris, Scotland, developed bilateral corneal oedema 16 days after being admitted to a rehabilitation centre. It died unexpectedly on day 26. On postmortem examination, there was excess clear fluid in the body cavities and the liver was swollen with numerous pale focal lesions and petechial haemorrhages throughout. Histopathological examination revealed bundles of bacilli morphologically typical of Clostridium piliforme within hepatocytes. Comparative analysis of the nucleotide base sequence of a 16S rdna fragment amplified from the infected liver tissue revealed that it was identical to a C piliforme 16S rdna sequence. The possibility of concurrent infection with canine adenovirus type 1 was considered but none of the characteristic histopathological lesions was observed and examination of the liver by transmission electron microscopy was negative for virus particles. This appears to be the first record of Tyzzer's disease in an otter and the first in a wild animal in Britain.
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Affiliation(s)
- V R Simpson
- Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre, Chacewater, Truro, Cornwall tr4 8pb
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Borchers A, Magdesian KG, Halland S, Pusterla N, Wilson WD. Successful Treatment and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Confirmation of Tyzzer's Disease in a Foal and Clinical and Pathologic Characteristics of 6 Additional Foals (1986-2005). J Vet Intern Med 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2006.tb00725.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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