dc.description.abstract | Summary
Background: Tyzzer’s disease is caused by Clostridium piliforme a spore-forming
gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium, which can rarely find in dogs.
Objectives: Tyzzer’s disease was diagnosed in a puppy. The results of clinical
examination and different laboratory methods are discussed.
Materials and Methods: A 2 month old St. Bernard male dog suffered from
diarrhoea and inappetence for several weeks. The puppy suddenly had fever
and jaundice and died in two days in spite of treatment. The puppy was sent
for laboratory examination, which included gross pathological, histological
(heart, lungs, spleen, liver, kidney, small intestine) and immunohistochemical
(IHC) examination (distemper, canine parvovirus, canine infectious hepatitis,
leptospirosis, Toxoplasma gondii). Additionally rabbit anti–Mycobacterium bovis
antibody was used for IHC test, which detects several different bacteria, fungi
and protozoa. Bacteriological examination was also performed (spleen, small
intestine), and for the detection of C. piliforme the PCR test was used.
Results and Discussion: On gross pathological examination anaemia,
severe jaundice and enlarged liver and spleen were observed. With histological
examination disintegration, degeneration and scant necrosis of hepatocytes were
observed, associated with several macrophages and few other inflammatory cell
types located in the sinusoids. Multifocal necrosis was found in the heart, also
associated with large number of macrophages and few other inflammatory cell
types. Intracellular gram-negative filamentous bacteria in bundle or criss–cross
were found in liver evenly distributed and on the border of necrotic area in heart
using Warthin–Starry silver or Giemsa staining. The bacterium immunostained
with rabbit anti–Mycobacterium bovis antibody based IHC test. C. piliforme was
detected in the liver, using PCR method. No other pathogens were found. The
first case of Tyzzer’s disease was published in dog 16 years ago in Hungary. This
is the second case to report the occurrence of the disease in dog in Hungary. | en_US |