[The occurrence and significance of enterotoxin-producing Clostridium perfringens strains in the intestinal tract of horses].
100 faecal samples from clinically healthy horses of different age groups and feeding habits, 50 samples of faeces from horses suffering from enteropathy accompanied by diarrhoea and small and/or large intestine from 25 horses that had died after an intestinal disease were examined for the presence of Clostridium (Cl.) perfringens. The frequency with which Cl. perfringens was detected was 22% in clinically healthy horses, 32% in horses with diarrhoea and 52% in the dead horses. In two faecal samples from the horses with diarrhoea the microbial count of Cl. perfringens was ca. 10(6) cfu/g faeces. The occurrence of Cl. perfringens in clinically healthy horses was not influenced by age. In animals fed exclusively on grass silage Cl. perfringens was found more frequently. The enterotoxin of Cl. perfringens was identified in one of 36 faecal samples from horses with diarrhoea. 54 Cl. perfringens strains isolated from material examined were studied for their ability to sporulate and to produce enterotoxin. 98% of the strains formed spores. Enterotoxin production was negative in all cases. Experimental investigations with enterotoxin producing Cl. perfringens strains on four ponies did not show any signs of a possible durable colonization of the intestinal tract by this organism. The results of these investigations do not suggest any pathogenic relevance of enterotoxin producing Cl. perfringens strains to the development of enteropathy in horses.
Gautsch
S
S
Institut für Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover.
Beckmann
G
G
Amtsberg
G
G
Dieckmann
M
M
Deegen
E
E
D000818:Animals; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses
D004768:Enterotoxins; C035598:enterotoxin, Clostridium