Caprine enterotoxaemia associated with cerebral microangiopathy

Abstract

Cerebral microangiopathy is described in naturally occurring clostridial enterotoxaemia in two goats. The two cases were selected from the files of two diagnostic laboratories in Australia, on the basis that the clinical syndrome and history were consistent with a diagnosis of enterotoxaemia, and that the diagnosis was confirmed by the identification of epsilon toxin in intestinal contents. The lesions consisted of acute perivascular proteinaceous exudate in the brain and bilaterally symmetrical foci of encephalomalacia were observed in one of the goats. These brain lesions confirm that Clostridium perfringens type D enterotoxaemia may produce histologically detectable brain changes in goats.