Naturally Occurring Tyzzer's Disease in Cotton-top Tamarins (Saguinus oedipus)

• Published in: Comparative medicine Vol. 57; no. 1; pp. 125 - 127
• Main Authors: Sasseville, V.G, Simon, M.A, Chalifoux, L.V, Lin, K.C, Mansfield, K.G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 01-02-2007
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Laboratory - microbiology; bacterial infections; Cecum - microbiology; Cecum - pathology; Clostridium; Clostridium Infections - pathology; Clostridium Infections - veterinary; Clostridium piliforme; colitis; Colitis - pathology; Colitis - veterinary; Colon - microbiology; Colon - pathology; Heart - microbiology; hepatitis; histopathology; infection; lesions (animal); Liver - microbiology; Liver - pathology; Monkey Diseases - microbiology; Monkey Diseases - pathology; myocarditis; natural infections; Saguinus; Saguinus oedipus; typhlocolitis
• ISSN: 1532-0820; 2769-819X

We noted naturally occurring infection with Clostridium piliforme (Tyzzer's disease) in 2 captive-reared cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus). Spontaneous Tyzzer's disease has been reported in multiple species of laboratory, domestic, and wild animals but is extremely rare in humans and nonhuman primates. Distinct from idiopathic colitis, which is common in cotton-top tamarins, these 2 tamarins had severe, transmural, necrotizing typhlocolitis accompanied by myocarditis and hepatitis. Abundant bacteria compatible with C. piliforme, the etiologic agent of Tyzzer's disease, were present adjacent to lesions in the cecum-colon, liver, and heart. Therefore, colitis caused by C. piliforme, although rare, should be included as a differential diagnosis in cotton-top tamarins and as a cause of postnatal mortality in this species.