title: Clostridium PerfringensToxins Involved in Mammalian Veterinary Diseases.
abstract: Clostridium perfringensis a gram-positive anaerobic rod that is classified into 5 toxinotypes (A, B, C, D, and E) according to the production of 4 major toxins, namely alpha (CPA), beta (CPB), epsilon (ETX) and iota (ITX). However, this microorganism can produce up to 16 toxins in various combinations, including lethal toxins such as perfringolysin O (PFO), enterotoxin (CPE), and beta2 toxin (CPB2). Most diseases caused by this microorganism are mediated by one or more of these toxins. The role of CPA in intestinal disease of mammals is controversial and poorly documented, but there is no doubt that this toxin is essential in the production of gas gangrene of humans and several animal species. CPB produced byC. perfringenstypes B and C is responsible for necrotizing enteritis and enterotoxemia mainly in neonatal individuals of several animal species. ETX produced byC. perfringenstype D is responsible for clinical signs and lesions of enterotoxemia, a predominantly neurological disease of sheep and goats. The role of ITX in disease of animals is poorly understood, although it is usually assumed that the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases produced byC. perfringenstype E is mediated by this toxin. CPB2, a necrotizing and lethal toxin that can be produced by all types ofC. perfringens, has been blamed for disease in many animal species, but little information is currently available to sustain or rule out this claim. CPE is an important virulence factor forC. perfringenstype A gastrointestinal disease in humans and dogs; however, the data implicating CPE in other animal diseases remains ambiguous. PFO does not seem to play a direct role as the main virulence factor for animal diseases, but it may have a synergistic role with CPA-mediated gangrene and ETX-mediated enterotoxemia. The recent improvement of animal models forC. perfringensinfection and the use of toxin gene knock-out mutants have demonstrated the specific pathogenic role of several toxins ofC. perfringensin animal disease. These research tools are helping us to establish the role of eachC. perfringenstoxin in animal disease, to investigate thein vivomechanism of action of these toxins, and to develop more effective vaccines against diseases produced by these microorganisms.
authors: California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, San Bernardino Branch, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA.
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Uzal
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Vidal
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA ; Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology Graduate Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: McClane
authors: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Gurjar
keywords: Alpha; CPB2; CPE; Clostridium perfringens; beta; epsilon; iota; toxins