EQUINE | Equine Disease Update
An alternative but slower approach is to culture C.
perfringens and confirm the presence of toxin genes
(cpb for type C and netF for type A) by PCR.
In terms of prevention, an autogenous bacterintoxoid
vaccine has been used for mare immunization in Ken-
tucky in an attempt to prevent type A C. perfringens
enteritis in foals. This vaccine likely includes NetF
toxin since mares immunized with the vaccine have
antibodies to NetF. Hyperimmune plasma is com-
mercially available for the prevention or treatment of
necrotizing enteritis in foals caused by C. perfringens
types A (including NetF), C, and D.
Although the discovery of NetF has furthered our un-
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derstanding of C. perfringens enterocolitis in foals,
further work is required to fully understand how NetF-
producing type A C. perfringens causes disease. Re-
search studies are slowly chipping away at C. perfrin-
gens enterocolitis, and the discovery of NetF has been
another important step forward.
Contact: Iman Mehdizadeh Gohari
[email protected]
John F. Prescott
[email protected] (519) 824-4120 ext. 54716
Department of Pathobiology
Ontario Veterinary College
University of Guelph, Canada
• Equine Health Update •