Bacteriologic examination of equine fecal flora as a diagnostic tool for equine intestinal clostridiosis.

The fecal flora of 56 clinically healthy and 23 sick horses were examined bacteriologically for counts of Clostridium perfringens, molds, coliforms, alpha- and beta-hemolytic streptococci, and microbes belonging to genus Bacillus, as well as for the presence of Salmonella spp. Of the healthy horses, 85.7% had a C perfringens count less than 10(1) colony-forming units/g of feces. Of the healthy horses, lowest counts were found in race-horses. Of the sick horses, equine intestinal clostridiosis was diagnosed in 2 horses with large C perfringens counts (10(4) to 10(7) colony-forming units/g) and with acute diarrhea. The 7 isolates of C perfringens were identified as serotype A. Salmonella spp were not detected from any of the horses. The study indicated that diagnosing equine intestinal clostridiosis based on the determination of the fecal C perfringens count was suitable.