Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile-associated diarrhea in equine in Minas Gerais, Brazil: clinical and microbiological characterization of six cases

Amanda Nádia Diniz,Carlos Augusto Oliveira Júnior,Jorge Tibúrcio Barbosa De Lima,Armando De Mattos Carvalho,Isabella Caixeta Winter,Francisco Carlos Faria Lobato,Rodrigo Otávio Silveira Silva,Diogo Soares Gonçalves Cruz,Carolina Pantuzza Ramos

doi:10.1590/0103-8478cr20200878

Amanda Nádia Diniz, Carlos Augusto Oliveira Júnior + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-8478cr20200878

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Journal: Ciência Rural	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2021
Citations: 4	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is the main causative agent of antimicrobial-related diarrhea in humans and a major pathogen-associated enteric disorder in foals and adult horses. Moreover, studies have suggested that animals are a possible reservoir of toxigenic C. difficile strains for humans. Despite this known importance, the epidemiology of C. difficile infection (CDI) in equine is still largely unknown. Therefore, this study described six cases of equine CDI occurring in Minas Gerais, Brazil, including the characterization of the isolates. All but one equine included in this research developed CDI after antimicrobial therapy, three of which occurred during hospitalization. Coinfection with Salmonella Heidelberg and S. Infantis was detected in three cases, making the antimicrobial treatment challenging. All animals recovered after metronidazole administration. All C. difficile isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin, while three were resistant to moxifloxacin and two were resistant to clindamycin. The isolates were classified as RT126 (n = 4), RT078 (n = 1), and RT014/020 (n = 1), all previously reported infecting humans and animals worldwide.

Highlights

Diarreia por Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile em equinos em Minas Gerais, Brasil: caracterização clínica e microbiológica de seis casos
Studies have suggested that animals are a possible reservoir of toxigenic C. difficile strains for humans
This study described six cases of equine C. difficile infection (CDI) occurring in Minas Gerais, Brazil, including the characterization of the isolates

Summary

Introduction

Diarreia por Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile em equinos em Minas Gerais, Brasil: caracterização clínica e microbiológica de seis casos. This study described six cases of equine CDI occurring in Minas Gerais, Brazil, including the characterization of the isolates. Samples were plated on MacConkey agar (Oxoid, USA) for Escherichia coli isolation and up to three lactose-fermenting colonies were subjected to a PCR for the detection of specific virulent genes of E. coli pathovars (RAMOS et al, Table 1 - Clinical and epidemiological aspects, ribotyping (RT) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of Clostridioides difficile isolated from six equines with confirmed CDI.

Results

Conclusion