- Infectious Diseases of Livestock
- Part 3
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: ENDOSPORE-FORMING GRAM-POSITIVE RODS AND COCCI
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: SPIROCHAETES
- Swine dysentery
- Borrelia theileri infection
- Borrelia suilla infection
- Lyme disease in livestock
- Leptospirosis
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: AEROBIC ⁄ MICRO-AEROPHILIC, MOTILE, HELICAL ⁄ VIBROID GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA
- Genital campylobacteriosis in cattle
- Proliferative enteropathies of pigs
- Campylobacter jejuni infection
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: GRAM-NEGATIVE AEROBIC OR CAPNOPHILIC RODS AND COCCI
- Moraxella spp. infections
- Bordetella bronchiseptica infections
- Pseudomonas spp. infections
- Glanders
- Melioidosis
- Brucella spp. infections
- Bovine brucellosis
- Brucella ovis infection
- Brucella melitensis infection
- Brucella suis infection
- Brucella infections in terrestrial wildlife
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC GRAM NEGATIVE RODS
- Klebsiella spp. infections
- Escherichia coli infections
- Salmonella spp. infections
- Bovine salmonellosis
- Ovine and caprine salmonellosis
- Porcine salmonellosis
- Equine salmonellosis
- Yersinia spp. infections
- Haemophilus and Histophilus spp. infections
- Haemophilus parasuis infection
- Histophilus somni disease complex in cattle
- Actinobacillus spp. infections
- infections
- Actinobacillus equuli infections
- Gram-negative pleomorphic infections: Actinobacillus seminis, Histophilus ovis and Histophilus somni
- Porcine pleuropneumonia
- Actinobacillus suis infections
- Pasteurella and Mannheimia spp. infections
- Pneumonic mannheimiosis and pasteurellosis of cattle
- Haemorrhagic septicaemia
- Pasteurellosis in sheep and goats
- Porcine pasteurellosis
- Progressive atrophic rhinitis
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: ANAEROBIC GRAM-NEGATIVE, IRREGULAR RODS
- Fusobacterium necrophorum, Dichelobacter (Bacteroides) nodosus and Bacteroides spp. infections
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI
- Staphylococcus spp. infections
- Staphylococcus aureus infections
- Exudative epidermitis
- Other Staphylococcus spp. infections
- Streptococcus spp. infections
- Strangles
- Streptococcus suis infections
- Streptococcus porcinus infections
- Other Streptococcus spp. infections
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: ENDOSPORE-FORMING GRAM-POSITIVE RODS AND COCCI
- Anthrax
- Clostridium perfringens group infections
- Clostridium perfringens type A infections
- Clostridium perfringens type B infections
- Clostridium perfringens type C infections
- Clostridium perfringens type D infections
- Malignant oedema⁄gas gangrene group of Clostridium spp.
- Clostridium chauvoei infections
- Clostridium novyi infections
- Clostridium septicum infections
- Other clostridial infections
- Tetanus
- Botulism
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: REGULAR, NON-SPORING, GRAM-POSITIVE RODS
- Listeriosis
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infections
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: IRREGULAR, NON-SPORING, GRAM-POSITIVE RODS
- Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections
- Corynebacterium renale group infections
- Bolo disease
- Actinomyces bovis infections
- Trueperella pyogenes infections
- Actinobaculum suis infections
- Actinomyces hyovaginalis infections
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: MYCOBACTERIA
- Tuberculosis
- Paratuberculosis
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: ACTINOMYCETES
- Nocardiosis
- Rhodococcus equi infections
- Dermatophilosis
- GENERAL INTRODUCTION: MOLLICUTES
- Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
- Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia
- Mycoplasmal pneumonia of pigs
- Mycoplasmal polyserositis and arthritis of pigs
- Mycoplasmal arthritis of pigs
- Bovine genital mycoplasmosis
- Neurotoxin-producing group of Clostridium spp.
- Contagious equine metritis
- Tyzzer's disease
- MYCOTIC AND ALGAL DISEASES: Mycoses
- MYCOTIC AND ALGAL DISEASES: Pneumocystosis
- MYCOTIC AND ALGAL DISEASES: Protothecosis and other algal diseases
- DISEASE COMPLEXES / UNKNOWN AETIOLOGY: Epivag
- DISEASE COMPLEXES / UNKNOWN AETIOLOGY: Ulcerative balanoposthitis and vulvovaginitis of sheep
- DISEASE COMPLEXES / UNKNOWN AETIOLOGY: Ill thrift
- Eperythrozoonosis
- Bovine haemobartonellosis
GENERAL INTRODUCTION: ENDOSPORE-FORMING GRAM-POSITIVE RODS AND COCCI
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ENDOSPORE-FORMING GRAM-POSITIVE RODS AND COCCI
A General Introduction has been added to each disease chapter in an attempt to give a brief updated overview of the taxonomic, biological and other characteristics of the virus family or group of bacteria /protozoa that cause disease in livestock and, where relevant, involve wildlife. As the text of the three-volume book Infectious Diseases of Livestock is currently under revision the Editors are aware that there are inconsistencies between the updated introductions to chapters and the content of the chapters themselves. Once the chapters have been updated – a process that is currently underway – these inconsistencies will be removed.
The genera included in this group have diverse characteristics and are only grouped together for convenience because of their ability to form endospores.4 Of the six genera contained within the group, only species in the genera Bacillus and Clostridium are of veterinary importance. The characteristics of these two genera and the species contained within them are dealt with in the introductory sections preceding or within the relevant chapters dealing with them. The endospores that are characteristic for the members of this group are round or oval and form within the bacterial cells. These spores are highly resistant to the lethal effects of heat, desiccation and disinfectants, which allows them to survive in nature for prolonged periods, sometimes for decades — a factor that is important in the persistence of the bacteria in the environment and in the epidemiology of the diseases caused by them. Taxonomically, the genera Bacillus and Clostridium belong to a major and diverse group of bacteria known as the Bacillus/Clostridium group (low guanine and cytosine Gram-positive bacteria), that includes Listeria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and the mollicutes.3 Clostridium is then placed in the family Clostridiaceae and Bacillus in the family Bacilliceae.3
Species of bacteria within the two relevant genera in this group cause some of the oldest and most destructive diseases known.
Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax, a highly fatal and contagious disease of humans and animals, is the only species of the genus that is an important pathogen, although some of the others, such as Bacillus cereus, may be opportunistic pathogens. Numerous clostridial species, on the other hand, are causes of disease, their pathogenicity being mainly dependent on their ability to produce a range of toxins that have diverse effects, including histotoxicity, haemolysis and neurotoxicity. These toxins are elaborated in and absorbed either from the lumen of the intestinal tract of an animal, resulting in an enterotoxaemia (e.g. pulpy kidney disease), or foci of necrotic tissue (e.g. tetanus and gas gangrene), or they are produced in feed or decomposing matter of animal or vegetable origin (e.g. botulism, which is a form of food poisoning). Clostridium piliforme (formerly Bacillus piliformis), the agent of Tyzzer’s disease (see Tyzzer’s disease); is included in the genus Clostridium based on phylogenetic studies on the 16S RNA.1, 2 It is phenotypically similar to other clostridia in that it is a large rod, is motile and produces subterminal spores. Unlike other clostridia it possesses a Gram-negative cell wall and is an obligate intracellular pathogen.
References
- COLLINS, M.D., LAWSON, P.A., WILLEM, A., CARDOBA, J.J., FERANDEZGARAZABAL, J., GARCIA, P., HIPPE, H. & FARROW, J.A.E., 1994. The phylogeny of the genus Clostridium: Proposal of five new generea and eleven new species combinations. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 44, 812–826.
- DUNCAN, A.J., CARMAN, R.J., OLSEN, G.J. & WILSON, K.H., 1993. Assignment of the agent of piliform Tyzzer’s disease to Clostridium comb. nov. on the basis of 16S RNA sequence analysis. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 43, 314–318.
- GARRITY, GT. M. & HOLT, J.G., 2001. Taxonomic outline of the Archaea and Bacteria. In: BOONE, D.R. & CASTENHOLZ, R.W., (eds). Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, 2nd ed. Vol. 1. (The Archaea and the Deeply Branching and Phototrophic Bacteria). New York: Springer-Verlag
- SNEATH, P.H.A., 1986. Endospore-forming Gram-positive rods and cocci. In: SNEATH, P.H.A., MAIR, N.S., SHARPE, M.E. & HOLT, J.G., (eds). Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
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