Clostridium perfringens type a myonecrosis in a horse in Korea

Abstract

Acute hemorrhagic myonecrosis accompanied by severe inter- and intrafascicular edema and hemorrhage of the right gluteal area was diagnosed in a 13-year-old male thoroughbred horse. Once the muscular and fascicular changes were subsided, the horse then developed acute respiratory problem. Histologically, the lung had diffuse severe hemorrhage with mild neutrophilic infiltration. The cause of death was acute respiratory failure that is believed to occur secondary to toxaemic event. Alpha and β2 toxin secreting Clostiridum perfringens type A was isolated from the muscle and lung. The diagnosis was based on the light microscopic examination, bacterial toxinotyping and toxin genotyping from the muscular and pulmonary lesion. Also, susceptibility of the isolates to antimicrobial agents was determined.