Bovine Clostridia

The genus Clostridia comprises a variety of bacterial species that cause disease and death in cattle and sheep. From an animal agricultural perspective, the most important aspect of pathogenic Clostridia is their ability to produce toxins. All Clostridia produce toxins, biologically active proteins that are antigenic in nature. Toxins of different organisms vary in their effects and the manner in which they invade an animal.

Most Clostridia are anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria grow in the absence of oxygen but the vegetative form of Clostridia has the ability to produce spores. Clostridia spores survive even difficult environmental conditions. Clostridia spores are commonly found in soil and are ingested preformed in animal feed. Other species are present in the gut of humans and animals and are absorbed from the gut following a rapid growth in organism numbers.

The effect of the clostridial toxins can be observed at the location of toxin production. The toxins can also be disseminated throughout the body via the vascular and lymphatic system.