Toxina épsilon de Clostridium perfringens y su rol en la Enterotoxemia

Epsilon toxin is the third most potent within the genus Clostridium, which is part of a cosmopolitan anaerobic toxin-producing bacteria. Epsilon belongs to the group of pore-forming toxins and is synthesized as a relatively inactive protoxin by toxinotypes B and D of Clostridium perfringens. The protoxin is activated by proteolytic cleavage in the intestine and is responsible for enterotoxemia, an acute or subacute toxi-mediated infection characterized by rapid death of affected animals, mainly small ruminants. This article describes the main toxins associated with C. perfringens and focuses on the structure, mechanism of action and role of the epsilon toxin in the development of enterotoxemias. Diagnostic, control and immunoprophylactic prevention alternatives are also discussed, together with the experimental vaccine candidates described so far.