A retrospective study on the diagnosis of clostridial myonecrosis in ruminants in Brazil

ABSTRACT: A standardized immunochemistry method for the diagnosis of clostridial myonecrosis was applied to 38 formalized tissue samples from ruminants with clinical and post mortem history suggestive of blackleg or gas gangrene. The diagnosis of clostridial myonecrosis was confirmed in 37 out of 38 (97.4%) samples tested. Clostridium chauvoei and Clostridium perfringens type A were the most common agents found alone, being detected in ten (26.3%) and six (15.8%) samples, respectively. The other cases showed an association of two or three clostridia, with C. perfringens type A detected in 11 (29%) cases. Based on the findings of the present study, polyvalent vaccines against clostridial infections of animals incorporating C. perfringens would be more adequate for preventative purposes in the endemic areas