THOROUGHBRED HORSES

Diarrhoeal Disease in Horses in Australia: The possible role of Clostridium difficile

  • 26 pages

  • Published: 18 Apr 2011

  • Author(s): Thean, Sara, Elliott, Briony, Riley, Thomas V

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Clostridium difficile is a known disease-causing agent in humans. In the last 20 years, C. difficile has become accepted as an enteric pathogen in horses, particularly in Europe and North America. This has not been the case in Australia. Outside Australia C. difficile has been associated with acute colitis in mature horses following treatment with antibiotics.

This report is about the possible role the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium difficile might have in diarrhoeal disease in horses in Australia. The information contained in this report will be of value to horse owners and breeders, and to veterinarians throughout Australia.