Highly purified enterotoxin from Clostridium perfringens was found to have histopathological activity in the rabbit ileum. Unlike the action of cholera, Escherichia coli, and Shigella enterotoxins, epithelium was denuded from the tips of ileal villi at concentrations of the enterotoxin necessary to induce fluid accumulation in the rabbit. Whether or not this observed histopathology is essential...

Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium that causes a range of diseases in humans, including lethal gas gangrene. We have recently shown that strains of C. perfringens move across the surface of agar plates by a unique type IV pilus (TFP)-mediated social motility that had not been previously described. Based on sequence homology to pilins in Gram-negative bacteria, C. p...

Clostridium perfringens causes necrotic enteritis in chickens, and alpha-toxin has been suggested to be a key virulence determinant. Analysis of the alpha-toxin of 25 chicken-derived C. perfringens strains demonstrated high homology to mammal-derived strains rather than to the only avian-derived C. perfringens alpha-toxin sequence reported previously.

The objective of this study was to detect C. difficile A/B toxins and to isolate strains of C. perfringens and C. difficile from diarrheic and non-diarrheic dogs in Brazil. Stool samples were collected from 57 dogs, 35 of which were apparently healthy, and 22 of which were diarrheic. C. difficile A/B toxins were detected by ELISA, and C. perfringens and C. difficile were identified by multiplex...

DNAs from the genomes of Clostridium perfringens and Cytophaga johnsonii display orthodox A-DNA and B-DNA structures despite their high (A+L) nucleotide content. Unique structures, such as those found for synthetic DNAs having specific special sequences, do therefore not necessarily occur for DNAs having more random base sequence even if these have unusual base compositions. Clostridium perfrin...

Commercial broiler chicks were given a three-strain composite of bacitracin-resistant Clostridium perfringens by oral gavage and were sampled periodically to determine the dynamics of C. perfringens colonization of the intestinal tract of broiler chickens and fecal shedding. After gavage, the chicks were divided into two groups and placed in isolators, one group received a traditional corn-base...

Haemodialysis patients have acquired immunity disturbances, co-morbidities and a vascular access, factors predisposing them to infection and bacteraemia. Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic bacterium potentially causing severe infections, including rarely septic arthritis. We report the first case of Clostridium perfringens septic arthritis in a haemodialysis patient and suggest a haematoge...

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis is a fatal neonatal disease that accounts for large proportion of deaths in the NICU. Preterm birth and low weight are among most important risk factors, but multifactorial, with multiple other factors involved, including intestinal immaturity, ischemia, continued enteral feeding place breastfeeding, long-term exposure to antimicrobial agents, an abnormal micr...