Tyzzer disease

Tyzzer disease is an infectious disease caused by Clostridium piliforme that affects a wide variety of domestic and non-domestic animal species. This is the only intracellular member of the Clostridia, and it is easily recognized using silver-based stains in affected tissues. The pathogenesis of the disease has not been fully clarified, but it involves a fecal-oral transmission by ingestion of spores from a contaminated environment. Even though a so-called triad of lesions in the intestine, liver, and heart is commonly described in laboratory animals, this is not always the case. This chapter discusses the current information regarding etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of this disease.