Table 1.
Clostridial enteric infections of humans and animals, main virulence factors and diseases.
| ORGANISM | Main virulence factors | Diseases | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humans | Animals | ||
| Clostridium perfringens type A | CPA; others? | No major role in human enteric disease* | Sugggested to be involved in enterocolitis in pigs and horses, enterotoxemia in sheep and cattle and abomasitis of cattle, sheep and goats. Definitive proof lacking |
| Clostridium perfringens type B | CPB; ETX | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease** | Hemorrhagic enteritis of sheep |
| Clostridium perfringens type C | CPB | Enteritis necroticans in children and adults with trypsin deficiency | Necrohemorrhagic enteritis of neonatal pigs, sheep, goats, horses, others |
| Clostridium perfringens type D | ETX | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Enterotoxemia of sheep, goats and cattle |
| Clostridium perfringens type E | ITX | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Suggested to be involved in enteritis of sheep, cattle and rabbits |
| Clostridium perfringens type F | CPE | Food poisoning, antibiotic associated diarrhea, sporadic diarrhea | Suggested to be involved in canine hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and colitis of horses |
| Clostridium perfringens type G | NetB | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Necrotic enteritis of poultry |
| Clostridium difficile | TcdA, TcdB, CDT | Pseudomembranous and hemorrhagic colitis | Enterocolitis in horses, pigs, rabbits, hamsters, others |
| Clostridium piliforme | No virulence factor identified | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Colitis, hepatitis, myocarditis in horses, cattle, cats, rabbits, others |
| Clostridium sordellii | TcsL and TcsH | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Suggested to be involved in gastroenteritis of cattle and horses |
| Clostridium colinum | No virulence factor identified | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Ulcerative enteritis of quail and other poultry species |
| Clostridium spiroforme | CST | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease | Enterocolitis of rabbits |
| Clostridium botulinum | Toxins A and B (humans) Toxin C (animals) |
Infant botulism (toxicoinfection) | Possible toxicoinfection in horse, cattle and poultry |
| Clostridium neonatale | Gas, butyrate and other metabolismm products | Neonatal necrotic enteritis | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease |
| Clostridium butyricum | Gas, butyrate and other metabolismm products | Neonatal necrotic enteritis | No demonstrated role in humen enteric disease |
*
Exception are sepsis cases involving one or more organs of the alimentary system
**
ETX produced in the intestine of human patients suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis