Bacterial-associated diarrhea in the dog: a critical appraisal

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter sp strains isolated from calves with and without diarrhea in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

“…In domestic animals they cause diarrhea, but they are also frequently isolated from asymptomatic animals (22,25). C. jejuni and C. coli are agents of great importance in patients with travelers' diarrhea and infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who, therefore, need antimicrobial therapy (8).…”

A Preliminary Molecular Typing by PCR Assays of <i>Clostridium perfringens</i> and <i>Clostridium difficile</i> Isolates from Dogs

“…perfringens is one of the most widespread pathogen, inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of human beings and animals as well as terrestrial and marine environments [2]. It has been associated with outbreaks of acute, often severe diarrhoea in humans, horses, dogs and cats.…”

“…Each type may also express a subset of at least 15 other established toxins, including C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE), a wellcharacterized virulence factor whose production is coregulated with sporulation [6,7]. Virtually all strains isolated from dogs are type A, with only one published report documenting a type C infection in five cases of canine peracute lethal hemorrhagic enteritis [2]. Although several studies have shown an association between the immunodetection of CPE in faecal specimens and canine diarrhoea, the pathogenesis of C. perfringens-associated diarrhoea in the dog is not fully understood, because CPE is also detected in up to 14% of non-diarrhoeic dogs.…”

“…Diseases associated with C. difficile have primarily been attributed to the activity of TcdA and TcdB, and strains have historically been thought to produce both toxins (toxigenic isolates) or neither (non-toxigenic). There are increasing reports of variant strains isolated from human clinical cases of C. difficile-associated infection (CDI) that produce only TcdA or TcdB, however [2]. primarily based on detection of TcdA and/or TcdB in faecal specimens by EIA.…”

“…Isolation of the microorganism alone is not sufficient for diagnosis, due to the presence of non-toxigenic strains. Toxigenic C. difficile has been isolated from dogs with chronic diarrhoea, and reports have documented a carriage rate of C. difficile ranging from 0% -40% in diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic dogs [2,9]. Toxigenic C. difficile can be isolated from up to 94% of neonate dogs in the absence of clinical signs of disease [2].…”