Transmissible enterocolitis in hamsters caused by Tyzzer's organism

An outbreak of enteric form of Tyzzer's disease occurred in a golden hamster colony, and 60% of diseased animals examined were found to have severe enterocolitis without hepatic lesions. Organisms were detected within mucosal epithelial cells, especially in the lower ileum, cecum and colon showing degenerative and necrotic changes, and in some cases organisms were also detected in the smooth muscle layer. Infiltration of neutrophils and mononuclear cells in the lamina propria and submucosa was observed. Hamsters either having been cage-mates with diseased ones or given perorally cecal contents from affected animals, suffered from severe diarrhea and were shown to have necrotic foci in the liver. By intravenous inoculation with affected hamster liver homogenate into cortisone-treated mice, hepatic lesions characteristic of Tyzzer's disease were produced. Moreover, such infected mouse liver was found to cause severe diarrhea in hamsters when administered perorally.