| Summary Information |
| Diseases / List of Bacterial Diseases
/ Disease summary |
| Alternative Names |
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| Disease Agents |
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| Infectious
Agent(s) |
- Clostridium difficile (J13.44.w1)
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| Non-infectious
Agent(s) |
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| Physical
Agent(s) |
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| General Description |
In Bears
- Colitis caused by Clostridium difficile was
reported in a seven-year-old, 534kg, captive Kodiak bear (Ursus
arctos - Brown bear) following antibiotic treatment. (J13.44.w1)
- Salmonella sp. was isolated a few days before the bear died. (J13.44.w1)
Clinical signs
- Semifluid, mildly haemorrhagic, faeces, passed six to eight times
daily, for one week. (J13.44.w1)
- Death due to rectal perforation and peritonitis. (J13.44.w1)
- Note: it was not possible to determine whether the rectal
perforation, peritonitis and subsequent death of the bear was due
to the Clostridium difficile infection, salmonellosis (Salmonella
was cultured from faeces taken several days before death),
diagnostic procedures (flexible sigmoidoscopy and biopsy of the
colon) or another unidentified factor. (J13.44.w1)
Histopathology of colonic biopsy specimens
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| Further Information |
Diagnosis
- Identification of a cytopathic toxin neutralised by Clostridium
difficile antitoxin in faeces, with a titre of 1:1,000.
- Culture of Clostridium difficile from faeces on selective
medium.
- Negative cultures for Salmonella and other enteric pathogens
at the time of the initial illness.
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy of the colon revealed small multiple ulcers
of the mucosa covered with whitish exudate (resembling pseudomembranes).
- Colonic biopsy and histopathology confirmed pseudomembranous colitis.
(J13.44.w1)
Treatment
- Vancomycin (chosen based on sensitivity testing), 2 g daily mixed with food for 10
days was given. (J13.44.w1)
- Frequency of defecation reduced to one to two times daily after
one week, and the bear improved generally, but a week later it
stopped eating, and died after a few days. (J13.44.w1)
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| Associated Techniques |
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| Host taxa groups /species |
Further information on Host species has only
been incorporated for species groups for which a full Wildpro "Health and
Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature
review has been undertaken). Host species with further information available are listed
below:
(List does not contain all other species groups affected by this
infectious agent)
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