Vet Pathol Email Content Delivery
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Brooks, J. W.
Right arrow Articles by Poppenga, R. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Brooks, J. W.
Right arrow Articles by Poppenga, R. H.
Vet Pathol 43:765-768 (2006)
© 2006 American College of Veterinary Pathologists
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS AND CASE REPORTS

Clostridium piliforme Infection in Two Farm-raised White-tailed Deer Fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) and Association with Copper Toxicosis

J. W. Brooks, M. T. Whary, A. L. Hattel, D. P. Shaw, Z. Ge, J. G. Fox and R. H. Poppenga

Abstract

Necropsy of 2 white-tailed deer fawns who died acutely revealed diarrhea and melena in case No. 1 and no gross changes in case No. 2. Histologically, the livers of both deer displayed multifocal coagulative necrosis, with infiltrations of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes. By Warthin-Starry staining, bundles of filamentous bacteria were identified within hepatocytes at the periphery of the necrotic foci in case No. 1. There was multifocal myocardiocyte necrosis in case No. 1 and multifocal lymphoid necrosis of the Peyer's patches in case No. 2. Clostridium piliforme 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene was detected in both livers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with C. piliforme–specific primers. The liver copper levels in both cases were normal to slightly elevated. The kidney copper level in case No. 2 was elevated. This represents the first published cases of Tyzzer's disease in deer, a novel use of PCR for the diagnosis of C. piliforme infection, and a possible association between copper toxicosis and Tyzzer's disease.

Key words: Clostridium piliforme; copper; deer; PCR; Tyzzer's disease.

Request reprints from Dr. Jason W. Brooks, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, Orchard Road, University Park, PA 16802–1110 (USA). E-mail: jwb21{at}psu.edu






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.