title: Retinal microvascular damage and vasogenic edema produced by Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin in rats.
abstract: When the brain is exposed to large circulating levels of Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin (EXT), microvascular damage with resulting severe, generalized, vasogenic edema seems to be principally responsible for the ensuing acute, and frequently fatal, neurologic disorder. However, although the blood-retinal barrier resembles in many respects the blood-brain barrier, retinal changes in livestock with acute epsilon intoxication have not, to the authors' knowledge, been previously reported. In rats given an acute dose of ETX, retinal microvascular endothelial injury led to widespread vasogenic edema as assessed immunohistochemically by marked plasma albumin extravasation. As laboratory rodents are a good model of the domestic livestock disease produced by ETX, it is probable that the latter sustain some visual deficit when exposed to large doses of this potent neurotoxin.
authors.affiliation: SA Pathology (Finnie, Manavis), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaOphthalmic Research Laboratories, South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology (Casson, Chidlow), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science (Finnie), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Casson, Chidlow), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia john.finnie@health.sa.gov.au.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Finnie
authors.affiliation: SA Pathology (Finnie, Manavis), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaOphthalmic Research Laboratories, South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology (Casson, Chidlow), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science (Finnie), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Casson, Chidlow), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manavis
authors.affiliation: SA Pathology (Finnie, Manavis), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaOphthalmic Research Laboratories, South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology (Casson, Chidlow), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science (Finnie), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Casson, Chidlow), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Casson
authors.affiliation: SA Pathology (Finnie, Manavis), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaOphthalmic Research Laboratories, South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology (Casson, Chidlow), Hanson Institute Centre for Neurological Diseases, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science (Finnie), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, AustraliaDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Casson, Chidlow), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chidlow
keywords: 
                 Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin; microvascular injury; rat retina; vasogenic edema