Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Equine colitis X associated with infection by Clostridium difficile NAP1/027.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Songer, J Glenn et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old Quarter Horse was experiencing severe abdominal pain (colic) for two days and unfortunately had to be put to sleep because treatment wasn't helping. During the examination after death, the horse's intestines showed signs of swelling and thickening, and there was a lot of bleeding in the tissue. Tests revealed a high number of a harmful bacteria called Clostridium difficile, which is known to cause serious intestinal issues. This particular strain of the bacteria is linked to more severe cases in humans as well. The horse was diagnosed with a severe form of colitis (inflammation of the colon) known as colitis X, and sadly, the treatment did not work.
Abstract
A 14-year-old Quarter Horse with a 48-hr history of colic was euthanized after failure to respond to treatment. At necropsy, cecal and colonic mucosae were congested throughout, and there was segmental edema and significant thickening of the intestinal wall. Excessive numbers of mononuclear cells were found in mucosal lamina propria. Submucosal hemorrhage was diffuse and extensive, and Clostridium difficile toxins A and B were detected. Large numbers of C. difficile were isolated, and genetic characterization revealed them to be North American pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type 1, polymerase chain reaction ribotype 027, and toxinotype III. Genes for the binary toxin were present, and toxin negative-regulator tcdC contained an 18-bp deletion. This genotype comprises the current human "epidemic strain," which is associated with human C. difficile-associated disease of greater than historical severity. The diagnosis was peracute typhlocolitis, with lesions and history typical of those attributed to colitis X.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19407094/