Clostridium perfringens Type A Isolated from Intestinal Contents of Alpaca

<i>C. perfringens</i> is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that causes serious diseases in humans and animals. In this study, <i>C. perfringens</i> was isolated from the intestinal content of an alpaca, cultured, and then identified using laboratory methods including Gram staining, biochemical tests, and PCR for <i>16S rRNA</i> of six toxins. Furthermore, the pathogenicity of different strains was analyzed in mice. The results showed that <i>C. perfringens</i> was identified as type A and caused severe pathology of the spleen, lungs, and duodenum in mice through CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. Also, the mRNA expression levels of ZO-1 and Occludin were further quantified by qRT-PCR with normalization to β-actin, which showed decreased expression levels in the duodenum of mice in the gavage group compared to those in the NC groups, with significant differences (<i>n</i> = 3; * <i>p</i> < 0.05, ** <i>p</i> < 0.01). The results could inform the development of drugs and vaccines resistant to <i>C. perfringens</i> in alpaca.