title: Detection of A/B toxin and isolation of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens from foals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxin detection and screening could contribute to knowledge of the transmission patterns, risk factors and epidemiology of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To isolate C. difficile and C. perfringens and to detect A/B toxins in faecal samples from diarrhoeic and nondiarrhoeic foals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 153 samples from foals were collected: 139 samples from farms and 14 samples from diarrhoeic foals admitted to a veterinary hospital. The A/B toxins were detected by cytotoxicity assay. All suspected colonies of C. perfringens were subjected to polymerase chain reaction for detection of the major toxin genes (α, β, ε and ι) and for detection of β2-, NetB- and enterotoxin-encoding genes. Furthermore, C. difficile and C. perfringens isolates were evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven of 153 (4.6%) samples, all from diarrhoeic foals, were positive for C. difficile A/B toxin. Of these, 5 of 14 (35.7%) were from hospitalised foals, and only 2 of 63 (3.2%) diarrhoeic foal samples were from farms (P = 0.002). Clostridium perfringens was isolated from 31 (20.3%) foals, of which 21 of 76 (27.6%) were diarrhoeic and 10 of 76 (13.2%) were nondiarrhoeic, demonstrating a difference between these 2 groups (P = 0.045). Only 4 strains were positive for the β2-encoding gene (cpb2). All C. difficile and C. perfringens isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present report highlights the need for laboratory diagnostics to differentiate C. difficile-associated infection in foals from other causes of diarrhoea to facilitate adequate antimicrobial therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More studies are needed to clarify the role of C. perfringens as a primary agent of diarrhoea in foals.
authors: Veterinary School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil.
authors: R O S
authors: RO
authors: Silva
authors: M G
authors: MG
authors: Ribeiro
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Palhares
authors: A S
authors: AS
authors: Borges
authors: R P A
authors: RP
authors: Maranhão
authors: M X
authors: MX
authors: Silva
authors: T M
authors: TM
authors: Lucas
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Olivo
authors: F C F
authors: FC
authors: Lobato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins
keywords: A/B toxins; colitis; horse; nosocomial diarrhoea