Finnie John W
Veterinary Services Division, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, 101 Blacks Road, Gilles Plains SA 5086, Australia.
Anaerobe. 2004 Apr;10(2):145-50. doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2003.08.003.
Although the epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens type D produces disease in many species of domestic livestock, neurological disturbance is more common and better studied in sheep. High levels of circulating toxin, especially in lambs, cause cerebral microvascular endothelial damage with disruption of the blood-brain barrier leading to a severe, diffuse vasogenic oedema and an acute or peracute clinical course to death. With lower toxin levels, or in partially immune sheep, a focal, bilaterally symmetrical encephalomalacia sometimes occurs in selectively vulnerable brain regions after a more protracted clinical course, but the pathogenesis is uncertain.
尽管产气荚膜梭菌D型的ε毒素可在许多家养牲畜物种中引发疾病，但在绵羊中，神经功能障碍更为常见且研究得更深入。循环毒素水平升高，尤其是在羔羊中，会导致脑微血管内皮损伤，破坏血脑屏障，进而引发严重的弥漫性血管源性水肿，并导致急性或超急性临床病程直至死亡。毒素水平较低时，或在部分免疫的绵羊中，经过较长临床病程后，有时会在选择性易损脑区出现局灶性、双侧对称的脑软化，但发病机制尚不确定。
