Presence of Clostridium piliforme in Rats from Laboratory Animal Facilities in the Aegean Region of Türkiye
Makaleler > Tam Makale · 2025
Yazarlar: Çağatay Nuhay, Ömer Faruk Gökcecik, Necdet İlker İçil
Animal Health Production and Hygiene, Uluslararası, 2025, cilt 14, ss 73-77
DOI: 10.53913/aduveterinary.1809206
Özet
The health status of laboratory animals is essential for both research reliability and animal welfare. Clostridium piliforme, the causative agent of Tyzzer’s disease, is an obligate intracellular and spore-forming bacterium. While it may cause high mortality in immunocompromised animals, the infection often remains subclinical and can persist in colonies for long periods. Such latent infections may compromise experimental outcomes, making regular health monitoring highly important. This study aimed to investigate the presence and prevalence of C. piliforme in rats from licensed laboratory animal facilities in the Aegean Region of Türkiye. A total of 80 fecal samples, 10 from each of eight facilities, were collected. DNA was extracted using a commercial kit and analyzed by conventional PCR with species-specific primers. Of the 80 samples, four (5.0%) were positive, all originating from a single facility (40.0%, 4/10). The Wilson score method estimated a 95% confidence interval of 1.6–12.3, and Fisher’s Exact Test indicated a statistically significant difference among facilities (p