ABSTRACT
According to the major toxin types that they produce, Clostridium perfringens isolates are currently classified as one of five biotypes. Enteritis associated with C. perfringens type A in pigs has been described in Europe and United States, but has not been reported in Brazil. A novel toxin called β2+ has been recently identified and its encoding gene characterized. Preliminary studies suggested that strains producing β2-toxin are associated with necrotic enteritis in piglets, and with enterocolitis and typhlocolitis in horses. The clinical and microbiological features of four outbreaks of neonatal pig diarrhea in Brazil associated with C. perfringens type A, β2+ are described in this report, as well as the genotype characterization of the isolated strains.
KEY WORDS:
Enteritis; PCR; pig; Clostridium perfringens; bacteria; toxin.