zoonoses and communicable diseases common to ... - PAHO/WHO

CLOSTRIDIAL WOUND INFECTIONS 89Diagnosis: Diagnosis is based primarily on clinical manifestations, such as thecolor around the lesion or wound, swelling, toxemia, and muscle tissue destruction.The presence of gas is not always indicative of clostridial infection. A smear of exudatefrom the wound or a gram-stained muscle tissue sample may be helpful in diagnosisif numerous large gram-positive bacilli are found. The culture of anaerobicbacilli from human cases is generally of little value because of the time required andthe urgency of diagnosis. Moreover, isolation of a potentially pathogenic anaerobefrom a wound may only indicate contamination and not necessarily active infection(penetration and multiplication in the human or animal organism). In animals, culturecan be important in distinguishing infection caused by C. chauvoei (symptomaticanthrax, blackleg, or emphysematous gangrene) from infections caused by C.septicum. The latter bacterium rapidly invades the animal’s body after death; thus,the material used for examination should be taken before or very shortly after death.The fluorescent antibody technique permits identification of the pathogenicclostridia in a few hours and can be very useful in diagnosis.Control: Prevention of the infection consists of prompt treatment of wounds andremoval of foreign bodies and necrotic tissue. Special care must be taken to ensurethat tourniquets, bandages, and casts do not interfere with circulation and thus createconditions favorable to the multiplication of anaerobic bacteria by reducing localoxidation-reduction potential.Combined vaccines of C. chauvoei and C. septicum are used for active immunizationof calves and lambs. Vaccination with bacterins or alpha toxoid must be carriedout prior to castration, tail docking, shearing, or removal of horns. Calves canbe vaccinated at 2 months of age.BibliographyBartlett, J.G. Gas gangrene (other clostridium-associated diseases). In: Mandell, G.L., R.G.Douglas, Jr., J.E. Bennett, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. NewYork: Churchill Livingstone, Inc.; 1990.Bruner, D.W., J.H. Gillespie. Hagan’s Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals. 6th ed.Ithaca: Comstock; 1973.Finegold, S.M. Anaerobic Bacteria in Human Disease. New York: Academic Press; 1977.Joklik, W.K., D.T. Smith. Zinsser’s Microbiology. 15th ed. New York: Meredith; 1972.MacLennan, J.D. The histotoxic clostridial infections of man. Bact Rev 26:177–274, 1962.Prévot, A.R., A. Turpin, P. Kaiser. Les bactéries anaerobies. Paris: Dunod; 1967.Rose, H.M. Disease caused by clostridia. In: Wyngaarden, J.B., L.H. Smith, Jr., eds. CecilTextbook of Medicine. 16th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1982.Rosen, M.M. Clostridial infections and intoxications. In: Hubbert, W.T., W.F. McCulloch,P.R. Schnurrenberger, eds. Diseases Transmitted from Animals to Man. 6th ed. Springfield:Thomas; 1975.Smith, D.L.S. Clostridial diseases of animals. Adv Vet Sci 3:465–524, 1957.Smith, L.D., L.V. Holderman. The Pathogenic Anaerobic Bacteria. Springfield:Thomas; 1968.