J Vet Sci.  2018 May;19(3):368-374. 10.4142/jvs.2018.19.3.368.

Prevalence, toxin gene profile, antibiotic resistance, and molecular characterization of Clostridium perfringens from diarrheic and non-diarrheic dogs in Korea

• Chon JW
• Seo KH
• Bae D
• Park JH
• Khan S
• Sung K

• KMID: 2412127
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2018.19.3.368

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens causes diarrhea and other diseases in animals and humans. We investigated the prevalence, toxin gene profiles, and antibiotic resistance of C. perfringens isolated from diarrheic dogs (DD) and non-diarrheic dogs (ND) in two animal hospitals in Seoul, Korea. Fecal samples were collected from clinically DD (n = 49) and ND (n = 34). C. perfringens was isolated from 31 of 49 DD (63.3%) and 21 of 34 ND dogs (61.8%). All C. perfringens strains were positive for the α toxin gene, but not for the β, ε, or ι toxin genes; therefore, all strains were identified as type A C. perfringens. All isolates were cpe-negative, whereas the β2 toxin gene was identified in 83.9% and 61.9% of isolates from DD and ND, respectively. Most isolates were susceptible to ampicillin (94%), chloramphenicol (92%), metronidazole (100%), moxifloxacin (96%), and imipenem (100%). However, 25.0% and 21.2% of isolates were resistant to tetracycline and clindamycin, respectively. Molecular subtyping of the isolated strains was performed by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Fifty-two isolates were classified into 48 pulsotypes based on more than 90% similarity of banding patterns. No notable differences were observed among the isolates from DD and ND.

Keyword

Clostridium perfringens; bacterial toxins; dogs; drug resistance; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

MeSH Terms

Ampicillin
Animals
Bacterial Toxins
Chloramphenicol
Clindamycin
Clostridium perfringens*
Clostridium*
Diarrhea
Dogs*
Drug Resistance
Drug Resistance, Microbial*
Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
Hospitals, Animal
Humans
Imipenem
Korea*
Metronidazole
Prevalence*
Seoul
Tetracycline
Ampicillin
Bacterial Toxins
Chloramphenicol
Clindamycin
Imipenem
Metronidazole
Tetracycline

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles of Clostridium perfringens from diarrheic and non-diarrheic dogs. Cut-off value was 90% similarity.

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