CHAPTER 15

Miscellaneous Infectious Diseases

Franklyn Garry

CLOSTRIDIAL MYOSITIS
Etiology
Clostridial myositis is a highly fatal disease of cattle
caused by the anaerobic spore-forming bacteria Clostrid-
ium septicum, Clostridium chauvoei, Clostridium novyi, Clos-
tridium sordelli, Clostridium perfringens, and occasionally
other opportunistic Clostridial spp. For clostridial myositis
to develop, both the organism and a suitable anaerobic
environment for its vegetative growth must be present.
Therefore muscle that has been damaged by trauma, pen-
etrating or puncture wounds, lacerations, surgical inci-
sions, or intramuscular (IM) injections of irritating drugs
or chemicals is susceptible.
C. septicum and C. perfringens are normal inhabitants of
the gastrointestinal tract of most warm-blooded animals.
Therefore contamination or inoculation of muscle with
these organisms is by exogenous routes (Figure 15-1).
Soil and feces may contain C. septicum or C. perfringens.
C. septicum has been identified specifically as the cause of
malignant edema, whereas C. chauvoei infections are re-
ferred to as “blackleg.” It probably is easier to refer to all
clostridial infections as clostridial myositis because clini-
cal differentiation of the species involved is sometimes Figure 15-1
difficult, and laboratory assistance is usually required. Clostridium perfringens myositis in the right hind limb of
Malignant edema—implying any clostridial myositis a Holstein cow subsequent to an intramuscular injec-
rather than specific C. septicum infections—also has been tion of prostaglandin.
used as a general term for clostridial myositis.
C. chauvoei has the most confusing pathogenesis. The ingesting crops harvested from such soil. Young cattle ap-
organism survives in soil, but it is not known whether it pear to be at greatest risk for C. chauvoei muscular infec-
survives in both the vegetative and spore forms or only tions, and most cases occur in well cared for animals 6 to
the spore form. Ingestion of C. chauvoei by cattle appar- 24 months of age. However, we investigated a herd
ently allows the vegetative form to proliferate in the gut epidemic of C. chauvoei myositis that involved several
and then gain entrance to the lymphatics, bloodstream, first-lactation cows that ranged between 2 and 3 years of
and finally seed muscle and liver. Having reached the age. The cows in this outbreak had grazed pastures the
muscle and liver, the organism remains innocuously in previous summer, but the epidemic occurred during the
the spore form unless the surrounding tissue is injured in winter months and was triggered by muscle bruising and
some way that creates an anaerobic environment suitable trauma as a result of crowding through a narrow passage
for vegetative growth of C. chauvoei. Exogenous infections created by a frozen doorway (Figure 15-2). C. sordelli may
of muscle also are possible with C. chauvoei if soil con- have a similar pathogenesis because it has been associated
tamination or inoculation of damaged tissue occurs. with muscle bruising in rapidly growing beef cattle.
Farms and soils that harbor C. chauvoei create endemic Regardless of the species of Clostridium causing in-
risk of clostridial myositis for cattle grazing this ground or fection, toxemia and severe myositis ensue. Clostridial

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