A possible role for Clostridium difficile in the etiology of calf enteritis.
Clostridium difficile was investigated as a possible cause of enteritis in calves. The organism and its toxins (TcdA and TcdB), respectively, were found in 25.3% and 22.9% of stool samples from diarrheic calves. Culture positive samples were more likely than culture negative samples to be toxin positive. However, toxin positive stools were more common among nondiarrheic calves, but diarrheic calves were nearly twice as likely to be culture positive. Ribotype 078 was dominant among isolates. Salmonella sp. was isolated from both diarrheic and nondiarrheic calves, but large numbers of E. coli were found more commonly in diarrheic calves than in nondiarrheic animals. Prevalence rates for coronavirus and Cryptosporidium sp. were substantially higher in nondiarrheic calves than in diarrheic, but rates of detection of rotavirus and Giardia sp. were more nearly equal between groups. Lesions in naturally infected calves included superficial mucosal erosion with associated fibrinous exudates. Neutrophils and eosinophils infiltrated lamina propria. Large Gram-positive rods morphologically compatible with C. difficile were abundant in the colonic lumen and the organism was isolated by bacteriologic culture. Toxins were found throughout the colon. Purified toxins A and B (individually and conjointly) caused comparable lesions, as well as fluid accumulation, in ligated intestinal loops. Our findings are in substantial agreement with those of others [Rodriguez-Palacios, A., Stampfli, H.R., Duffield, T., Peregrine, A.S., Trotz-Williams, L.A., Arroyo, L.G., Brazier, J.S., Weese, J.S., 2006. Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes in calves, Canada. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 12, 1730-1736; Porter, M.C., Reggiardo, C., Bueschel, D.M., Keel, M.K., Songer, J.G., 2002. Association of Clostridium difficile with bovine neonatal diarrhea. Proc. 45th Ann. Mtg. Amer. Assoc. Vet. Lab. Diagn., St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.] and add strength to a working hypothesis that C. difficile infection and the accompanying intoxication can manifest as diarrhea in calves. It seems clear that calves serve as multiplying hosts for this organism.
Hammitt
Melissa C
MC
Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
Bueschel
Dawn M
DM
Keel
M Kevin
MK
Glock
Robert D
RD
Cuneo
Peder
P
DeYoung
Donald W
DW
Reggiardo
Carlos
C
Trinh
Hien T
HT
Songer
J Glenn
JG
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003458:Cryptosporidium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005872:Giardia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D021521:Ribotyping; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile