Table 1.

Occurrence of lesions and microbiological findings in 32 deer submitted with a history of sudden death

Case number	Splenomegaly	SI hemorrhagea	Hepatic congestionb	Hepatic necrosisb	Abomasal hemorragec	SI necrosisb	Clostridium perfringensd	Toxin typee
1	+	+	X	X	X	A	1+	NT
2	+	+	−	−	+	A	4+	NT
3	+	+	−	−	+	−	3+	NT
4	+	+	−	−	−	+	4+	NT
5	+	+	+	+	+	A	4+	α
6	+	+	+	−	X	A	4+	NT
7	−	+	+	+	X	A	4+	NT
8	+	+	+	+	−	−	4+	α, β-2, CPE
9	+	+	+	+	X	A	4+	α, β-2
10	+	+	−	+	−	A	4+	α
11	+	+	+	+	+	+	3+	NT
12	+	+	+	+	−	A	4+	α
13	+	+	A	A	+	A	1+	NT
14	+	+	+	−	+	+	3+	α
15	+	+	+	+	−	A	4+	α
16	+	+	−	+	+	−	4+	α, ɛ
17	−	+	+	+	X	+	4−	NT
18	+	+	+	+	−	A	4+	NT
19	+	+	A	A	−	−	4+	NT
20	+	+	+	+	+	+	3+	No toxinf
21	+	+	+	+	+	+	4+	No toxinf
22	+	+	−	+	X	+	1+	NT
23	+	+	+	+	+	+	3+	No toxinf
24	+	+	+	−	+	+	4+	α
25	+	+	+	+	+	X	4+	NT
26	+	+	X	X	X	+	4+	NT
27	+	+	−	−	−	+	4+	α
28	+	+	A	A	X	A	4+	α, CPE
29	+	+	−	−	−	A	4+	α, CPE
30	+	+	+	+	+	−	4+	α
31	+	+	X	X	X	−	3+	α
32	+	+	A	A	A	A	4+	α

X — tissue not submitted; A — too autolyzed to interpret; NT — not tested; SI — small intestine; − — negative; + — positive; CPE — enterotoxin

^aSmall intestinal hemorrhage determined by gross or histological examination

^bDetermined by histological examination

^cDetermined by gross or histological examination

^dDetermined by anaerobic culture of intestine

^eClostridium perfringens toxin type determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) except where specified

^fNo toxin detected using mouse assay