Clostridium perfringens Type A Infection in Cattle

Abstract

Clostridium perfringens is divided into five types on the basis of its ability to produce one or more of the so-called major toxins (Table 1). Type A strains are those which produce alpha toxin (a characteristic of all, or nearly all, isolates) and which do not produce beta, epsilon, and iota toxins. They are widespread in the intestines of warm-blooded animals and in the environment,³⁶ and are well-known causes of wound contamination, anaerobic cellulitis, and gas gangrene in humans.¹⁵ Strains of type A are associated with a wide variety of disease processes in many organ systems of myriad species of domestic animals.