Effects of the intravenous administration of Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin on young goats and lambs.

Young goats (n = 18) and lambs (n = 10) were compared in respect of the effects of Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin. Toxin produced neurological signs within 0.5-3 h of intravenous injection in (1) all of six kids given doses of 250, 185 or 120 mouse lethal doses 50% (MLD50)/kg body weight, (2) two of the three kids given 60 MLD50/kg, and (3) all of five lambs given 250 or 120 MLD50/kg. Six kids and three lambs given 45, 30 or 15 MLD50/kg, one lamb given 60 MLD50/kg, and three kids and one lamb given saline (controls) all remained clinically normal. Gross post-mortem changes were observed only in the kids and lambs that showed clinical signs. In the kids these changes consisted of severe acute interstitial and alveolar oedema of the lungs. However, only two out of five lambs that presented clinical signs showed pulmonary oedema. No histological changes were observed in the brain of any of the kids inoculated with epsilon toxin. In the brain of four out of the five lambs given doses of 120 or 250 MLD50/kg, there were histological lesions consisting of perivascular proteinaceous oedema and haemorrhages. These results show that kids and lambs are equally susceptible to the intravenous injection of epsilon toxin, but that they differ in the histological response of the central nervous system to the toxin.