Clostridium piliforme - Tyzzer's disease

Test code: B0043 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Clostridium piliforme bacteria by real time PCR

C. piliforme is among the Clostridium species detected in B0061 Clostridium species screen

Infection with Clostridium piliforme results in Tyzzer’s disease, which is characterized by necrotic lesions in the liver, digestive organs and heart. A number of animal species are susceptible to this organism, including mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, primates, and horses.

The organism is an obligate gram-negative bacteria found in necrotic foci in spore forms. Transmission is mainly through the fecal-oral route.

Although Tyzzer’s is a severe disease in many animal species, infected mice often do not exhibit clinical symptoms. These mice become carriers of the disease and can spread the pathogen to their predator species, including cats and dogs. Interestingly, different mouse strains differ in their susceptibility to the pathogen (Waggie et al., 1981).

Clostridium piliforme cannot be cultivated in artificial media, so diagnosis may be based on microscopic examination of tissues, serological assays or steroid challenge tests; these methods all require blood or necropsy samples. When steroid challenge assays are performed, extreme care must be taken to avoid spreading the pathogen. Moreover, microscopic examination, serology and steroid challenge all suffer from a lack of sensitivity and are labor intensive.

Detection of this pathogen by polymerase chain reaction is highly sensitive and specific. The test can be performed on fecal specimens rather than blood or tissue, resulting in less trauma and risk to animals.

Utilities:

• Confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Tyzzer's disease.
• Ensure that animal groups are free of Clostridium piliforme
• Early prevention of spread of C. piliforme among animals
• Minimize personnel exposure to C. piliforme
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from susceptible animals

References:
Waggie, K.S., Hansen, C.T. Ganaway, J.R. and Spencer, T.S. (1981) A study of mouse strains susceptibility to Bacillus piliformis (Tyzzer's disease): the association of B-cell function and resistance. Lab. Anim. Sci. 31:139-142

Specimen requirements: 1 ml feces, shipped overnight at room temperature.

For specimen types other than those listed here, please call to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Ultrasensitive qualitative real time polymerase chain reaction

Normal range: Nondetected