Neonatal piglets mesocolon edema and colitis due to Clostridium difficile infection: prevalence, clinical disease and pathological studies

A. Cappuccio, JavierA. Quiroga, MariaA. Moredo, FabianaF. Canigia, LilianaMachuca, MarianaCapponi, OsvaldoBianchini, ArielZielinski, GustavoSarradell, JavierIbar, MarielaB. Vigo, GermánabrielabrielabrielaJ. Perfumo, Carlos

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive opportunistic anaerobic bacterium found in the soil, water as well as the digestive tract of several species of mammals. Currently in high-health herds and not related with antibiotic treatment, C. difficile has been emerged in association with neonatal catarrhal, fibrinouspurulent colitis in 2 to 7 day-old piglets. Mesocolon edema and colitis with a volcano lesion are pathological key marks of C. difficile infection.  In farm 1, the prevalence of neonatal piglet mesocolon edema and colitis was evaluated in an extensive study of postmortem preweaning mortality. Lectinhistochemistry pattern of normal colon and colon with edema and colitis were analyzed in order to provide more accurate information related with pathogenesis of C.difficile infection.  In farm 2, a clinical description of an outbreak of neonatal colitis in piglets due to C. difficile infection was reported. A total 820 piglets were post-mortem examined, from them, 8 cases were classified as suspected of C. difficile infection (0.1%). Age of affected piglets varied between 3 to 14 days. In all of them, the key mark was the severe mesocolon edema and 2 cases were characterized by focal necrosis and loss of epithelial cells associated with a focal infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages in the lamina propria and lumen like erupted volcano. Lectins SBA and DBA that has aff

1. neonatal piglets
2. Clostridium difficile
3. clinical disease
4. mesocolon edema
5. pathological studies
6. colitis