1
|
Dias AP, Aguilar XF, De Buck J, Kutz S, Arrazuria R. Digital dermatitis-associated Treponema species detection and quantification in migratory tundra caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Res Vet Sci 2024; 171:105210. [PMID: 38460203 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2024.105210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Treponema spp. are associated with infectious lameness in livestock and wild ruminants. While extensive research has been conducted on cattle, investigations in wild ruminants are scarce. Hoof disease is common in caribou populations (Rangifer tarandus), but investigations are limited due to the remoteness of the Arctic. Our study aimed to assess the presence of Treponema spp. associated with bovine digital dermatitis in caribou. DNA was extracted from coronary band tissues from forty-eight caribou without visible hoof lesions and analyzed using two PCR methods (qPCR and nPCR). Treponema spp. were detected in low copy numbers/mg of tissue (3.6 to 6.6 × 101). T. phagedenis was the most prevalent and abundant species in 58% of samples by qPCR, followed by T. medium (44%), and T. pedis (10%). The qPCR and nPCR agreement ranged between 65% and 75% (Cohen's kappa 0.22-0.51). Sanger sequencing of thirteen nPCR products confirmed that treponemes in caribou are remarkably similar to those found in domestic ruminants and wild elk. Our study highlights the colonization of treponemes in healthy hooves of a wild ruminant in the Arctic, where there is no presence of livestock, and expands knowledge on the host range and distribution of treponemes. These findings also emphasize the need for further research into the multifactorial nature of treponema-associated hoof diseases and the putative role of treponemes in infectious lameness affecting caribou.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelica P Dias
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Xavier F Aguilar
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Jeroen De Buck
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Susan Kutz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Rakel Arrazuria
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Erickson S, Booker C, Song J, Janzen E, Jelinski M, Schwartzkopf-Genswein K. Epidemiology of Digital Dermatitis in Western Canadian Feedlot Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1040. [PMID: 38612279 PMCID: PMC11011063 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Digital dermatitis (DD) is an emerging disease in feedlot cattle. Our objective was to identify animal- and feedlot-level risk factors for DD by analyzing individual animal health records (n = 1,209,883) and feedlot-level records from western Canadian feedlots (n = 28) between 2014 and 2018, inclusive. The risk of a DD diagnosis was higher (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 2.08, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.86) in cattle sourced from confined background operations (CB) versus cattle sourced from auction markets (AM). Conversely, ranch direct (RD) cattle were (IRR = 0.02, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.30) lower risk than AM cattle of being diagnosed with DD. The risk of being diagnosed with DD was higher in females than in males. The magnitude of the risk in females over males was influenced by annual DD incidence in low morbidity years (2014, 2017, and 2018) (IRR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.19), medium morbidity years (2016) (IRR = 2.95, 95% CI 1.64 to 5.33), and high morbidity years (2015) (IRR = 5.41, 95% CI 3.27 to 8.95). At the feedlot-level, the risk of a diagnosis of DD was lower in small capacity (SCF) versus large capacity feedlots (LCF) (IRR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.76). Future research should focus on identifying factors that may propagate disease transmission between cattle of different sexes and from different acquisition sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Erickson
- TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods, Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2, Canada; (S.E.); (C.B.); (J.S.); (E.J.)
| | - Calvin Booker
- TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods, Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2, Canada; (S.E.); (C.B.); (J.S.); (E.J.)
| | - Jiming Song
- TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods, Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2, Canada; (S.E.); (C.B.); (J.S.); (E.J.)
| | - Eugene Janzen
- TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods, Okotoks, AB T1S 2A2, Canada; (S.E.); (C.B.); (J.S.); (E.J.)
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Murray Jelinski
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wong NST, Malmuthge N, Gellatly D, Nordi WM, Alexander TW, Ortega Polo R, Janzen E, Schwartzkopf-Genswein K, Jelinski M. Characterization of the hoof bacterial communities in feedlot cattle affected with digital dermatitis, foot rot or both using a surface swab technique. Anim Microbiome 2024; 6:2. [PMID: 38254160 PMCID: PMC10804539 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00277-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lameness is defined as altered or abnormal gait due to dysfunction of the locomotor system, and is a health issue of feedlot cattle, having major economic, labour, and welfare implications. Digital dermatitis (DD-a lesion of the plantar surface of the foot) and foot rot (FR-affects the interdigital cleft) are common infectious causes of lameness in feedlots. These hoof lesions can occur alone or in combination (DD + FR) in the same hoof. A total of 208 hoof swabs were collected from three commercial feedlots located in southern Alberta. Every lesion sample was matched with a corresponding control skin sample taken from a healthy contralateral foot. Control skin samples were also collected from cattle with no lesion on any feet. Bacterial communities of three types of hoof lesions (DD, DD + FR, FR) and healthy skin were profiled using 16S amplicon sequencing. RESULTS Alpha diversity analysis revealed a lower bacterial diversity on DD and FR lesions compared to control skin. Beta diversity analysis showed that bacterial communities of DD, FR, and DD + FR lesions were distinct from those of the control skin. While the impact of feedlot was minimal, lesion type contributed to 22% of the variation observed among bacterial communities (PERMANOVA-R = 0.22, P < 0.01). Compared to the corresponding control skin, there were 11, 12, and 3 differentially abundant (DA) bacterial genera in DD, DD + FR, and FR lesions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The bacterial community description of a DD + FR lesion is a novel finding. Not only did lesions lead to altered bacterial communities when compared to healthy skin, but the composition of those communities also differed depending on the hoof lesion. The 16S amplicon sequencing of surface swabs has significant value as a research tool in separating different hoof lesions and can provide additional insights to the polybacterial etiology of DD and FR in feedlot cattle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas S T Wong
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - Nilusha Malmuthge
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - Désirée Gellatly
- Technology Access Centre for Livestock, Olds College of Agriculture and Technology, Olds, Canada
| | - Wiolene M Nordi
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - Trevor W Alexander
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Ortega Polo
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada
| | - Eugene Janzen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
- Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada.
| | - Murray Jelinski
- Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bell J, Crosby-Durrani HE, Blowey RW, Carter SD, Evans NJ. Survival of bovine digital dermatitis treponemes in conditions relevant to the host and farm environment. Anaerobe 2023; 82:102766. [PMID: 37479021 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2023.102766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), a painful infectious foot disease in dairy cattle, endemic in many countries worldwide, causes substantial economic and welfare impacts. Treponema spp. are considered key to BDD pathogenesis. To aid infection reservoir identification and control measure development, survival of BDD treponemes was investigated in different temperatures (4, 12, 20, 37, 45 and 60 °C), pH values (5-9.0), dairy cattle faeces and bedding types: straw shavings, sand, sand containing 5% lime (w/w) and recycled manure solids (RMS). METHODS A turbidity microplate methodology was adapted to measure pH impact on growth. Survival of BDD treponemes for the different conditions were assessed by sub-cultures of microcosms over different time points. RESULTS BDD treponemes remained viable between 4 and 37 °C and pH 5.5 and 9.0 under anaerobic conditions. In sterile faecal microcosms, incubated aerobically at 12 °C, BDD treponemes remained viable for a median of 1 day (15 min - 6 day range). Variation in duration of survival and ability to grow was observed between phylogroups and strains. In aerobic microcosms, T. phagedenis T320A remained viable for the full 7 days in sand, 6 days in sawdust, 5 days in RMS, but was not viable after 15 min in straw or sand containing 5% (w/w) lime. CONCLUSIONS Treponeme survival conditions identified here should enhance future BDD infection reservoir surveys and enable control measures. Of note, straw or sand containing 5% (w/w) lime should be assessed in BDD field trials. Finally, these data indicate BDD treponemes exhibit characteristics of facultative anaerobes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Bell
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley E Crosby-Durrani
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, United Kingdom
| | - Roger W Blowey
- Gloucester Veterinary Consultancy Ltd, Appithorne, Minsterworth, Gloucester, GL2 8JG, UK
| | - Stuart D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ahlén L, Holmøy IH, Nødtvedt A, Sogstad ÅM, Fjeldaas T. A case-control study regarding factors associated with digital dermatitis in Norwegian dairy herds. Acta Vet Scand 2022; 64:19. [PMID: 35964105 PMCID: PMC9375421 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-022-00635-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Digital dermatitis (DD) is a contagious bovine foot disease causing painful lesions, lameness, and reduced animal welfare. Previous studies indicate a complex aetiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to compare DD negative and DD positive herds to identify factors associated with DD in Norwegian dairy herds by analysing data obtained in a questionnaire and data recorded in the Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording System (NDHRS). The questionnaire was e-mailed to the owners of all 380 herds recorded with DD in 2019 and to 1530 randomly selected herds with no recordings of DD. Altogether 559 dairy herds were included in the final study population, of which 113 was classified as DD positive (≥ one cow recorded with DD in NDHRS) and 446 as DD negative. When stratified by housing system, the ratio between DD positive and negative herds was 108/281 in free stalls and 5/165 in tie stalls. Multilevel logistic regression was used to model the association between potential risk factors and variables related to the detection and diagnosis of DD, and the outcome in the free-stall population. Geographical area (county) was included in the model as a random effect. Results In the final study population 108/113 (96%) of the DD positive herds were housed in free stalls versus 5/113 (4%) in tie stalls. The free-stall herds’ DD status was associated with purchase of cattle during the last 5 years (baseline: 0 animals, OR = 2.30 for category 12–27 animals, OR = 4.34 for 28–52 animals, and OR = 5.39 for ≥ 53 animals). The DD status was also associated with claw trimming frequency (Baseline: 1 < 2/year, OR = 0.41 for category < 1/year, and OR = 4.09 for ≥ 3/year), whether the claw trimming was done by a certified professional trimmer or not (baseline: ≤ 90% of the cows, OR = 3.98 for category ≥ 90% of the cows), cleaning of feet in the chute before trimming (baseline: no cleaning, OR = 1.98 for category cleaning), and alley flooring (baseline: slatted floor, OR = 2.36 for category solid floor). Conclusions Digital dermatitis was far more frequent in Norwegian dairy herds housed in free stalls versus those housed in tie stalls. In the free-stall herds purchase of cattle, increasing trimming frequency, use of certified professional trimmer, cleaning of the feet in the chute, and solid flooring in the alleys were associated with increased odds of recorded DD. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13028-022-00635-0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Ahlén
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway.
| | - Ingrid Hunter Holmøy
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Ane Nødtvedt
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | | | - Terje Fjeldaas
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Thomas AD, Pajor EA, Caddey B, Goldhawk C, Martins L, Orsel K. An experimental model to induce digital dermatitis in beef calves. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:238. [PMID: 35739561 PMCID: PMC9219410 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03345-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Digital dermatitis (DD) is a multifactorial infectious disease affecting the skin on feet of cattle causing erosion and inflammation above the heel bulbs. Some cases of DD cause lameness and significantly impact animal welfare and productivity. While DD has emerged as a concern for the beef industry, key information regarding early detection and its impact on cattle behaviour is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to determine if an established DD experimental model for dairy calves could be used to induce DD lesions in beef calves. A secondary objective was to describe changes in behaviour and pain associated with induction of DD lesions. Eight beef calves acquired from a single cow-calf operator were enrolled in the study. Upon enrolment, calves were evaluated and determined to be free of foot lesions. Within the experimental environment, calves were housed in individual pens and assigned to two groups (mock-inoculated and inoculated). Both hind feet of each calf were enrolled. Within calf, inoculation protocol was consistent, and a 28-day experimental protocol was employed. Two days prior to inoculation, both hind feet of each calf were abraded (area above the heel bulbs and below the dewclaws), moistened, and wrapped to facilitate an anaerobic condition. Feet were inoculated with macerated DD lesion material or mock inoculum and remained wrapped until clinical signs of DD or protocol endpoint. Results After a period of 14 to 18 days post inoculation, three of five inoculated calves developed clinical signs (lameness), and upon close inspection, DD lesions were present on at least one hind foot. Two of five inoculated calves did not develop lesions within 28 days. Zero of three mock-inoculated calves developed DD. Treponema spp. were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction from biopsies of induced lesions. Measurements of behaviour prior to disease induction were numerically different between DD affected and mock-inoculated calves. Conclusions An experimental infection model established for dairy cattle was used to successfully induce acute DD lesions in three of five inoculated beef calves. This model can provide a framework to study intervention protocols and to evaluate the impact of DD on behaviour and pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anice D Thomas
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Edmond A Pajor
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Benjamin Caddey
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Christy Goldhawk
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Larissa Martins
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Karin Orsel
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Marti S, Jelinski M, Janzen E, Jelinski M, Dorin C, Orsel K, Pajor E, Shearer J, Millman S, Schwartzkopf-Genswein K. A prospective longitudinal study of risk factors associated with cattle lameness in southern Alberta feedlots. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjas-2020-0128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence proportion of lameness in feedlot cattle and the associated risk factors. Lameness was studied in two southern Alberta feedlots over a 2 yr period. The incidence proportion of lameness was 36.3% for all calves pulled for treatment. Risk factors associated (P < 0.0001) with increased lameness included body weight (BW), type of cattle, source, stocking density, percentage of forage in the diet, season, precipitation 1 d before diagnosis, and average temperature range 3 d prior to diagnosis. As BW (P < 0.001) increased, the odds of becoming lame also increased. Yearlings and Holsteins had greater (P < 0.001) incidence of lameness than respiratory disease. The odds of becoming lame decreased (P < 0.001) with increased pen density and percentage of forage in the diet. Lameness was greatest in spring (P < 0.001) with the odds of becoming lame being more likely (P < 0.001) with increased precipitation and temperature range (P < 0.001). Use of a multifactorial approach including animal, managerial, and environmental factors in a single analysis will improve our understanding of the risk of increased lameness and aid in development of strategies to reduce its incidence in feedlots.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S. Marti
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- IRTA, Ruminant Production, Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona 08140, Spain
| | - M.D. Jelinski
- University of Saskatchewan, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - E.D. Janzen
- University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - M.J. Jelinski
- Agri-Health Services Ltd, Airdrie, AB T4A 2G1, Canada
| | - C.L. Dorin
- Agri-Health Services Ltd, Airdrie, AB T4A 2G1, Canada
| | - K. Orsel
- University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - E.A. Pajor
- University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - J. Shearer
- Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - S.T. Millman
- Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Afonso JS, Oikonomou G, Carter S, Clough HE, Griffiths BE, Rushton J. Diagnosis of Bovine Digital Dermatitis: Exploring the Usefulness of Indirect ELISA. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:728691. [PMID: 34790712 PMCID: PMC8591176 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.728691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The precision by which animal diseases are diagnosed affects our ability to make informed decisions with regards to animal health management, from a clinical and economic perspective. Lameness is a major health condition in dairy cattle. The underlying causes of lameness include bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), which is reported as one of the main causes of infectious lameness in dairy cattle. Presently, the gold standard for BDD diagnosis in dairy cattle is visual inspection of lifted hooves-a labour intensive and subjective method. Research has suggested that Treponema spp. are the main pathogens associated with the establishment of BDD. We explored the potential of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a diagnostic serological tool in the identification of cows at different stages of BDD. Additionally, we evaluated the predictive power of this diagnostic tool on the future occurrence of BDD lesions. A total of 232 cows from three farms were used in the study. Serum samples and hoof health data were collected at three time points: ~ 30 days pre-calving, around calving, and approximately 30 days post-calving. The mean absorbance from the ELISA test was compared across different clinical presentations of BDD as assessed by visual inspection of the hooves according to the M-stage classification system. A transition model was developed to estimate the probability of lesion occurrence in time t + 1 based on the spectrophotometer (absorbance) reading in time t. The mean absorbance reading for both IgG1 and IgG2 anti-Treponema antibodies was associated with disease presence-apart from M4.1 lesions, animals with no lesions had a lower mean when compared to animals with lesions regardless of the score. Additionally, the mean absorbance reading of animals with active lesions was higher when compared to animals with no lesions. However, the anti-Treponema antibody assays failed to identify disease presence in a consistent manner. Moreover, indirect ELISA readings were not a predictor of the future occurrence of BDD lesions. In conclusion, although the levels anti-Treponema antibodies were associated with disease presence, the ELISA test failed to detect disease unequivocally and had no predictive value in the future occurrence of BDD lesions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- João Sucena Afonso
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Georgios Oikonomou
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Carter
- Department of Infection Biology & Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Helen E Clough
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany E Griffiths
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Rushton
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Identification and Quantification of Bovine Digital Dermatitis-Associated Microbiota across Lesion Stages in Feedlot Beef Cattle. mSystems 2021; 6:e0070821. [PMID: 34313462 PMCID: PMC8409723 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00708-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a skin disorder that is a significant cause of infectious lameness in cattle around the world. However, very little is known about the etiopathogenesis of the disease and the microbiota associated with DD in beef cattle. In this study, we provide a comprehensive characterization of DD and healthy skin microbiota of feedlot beef cattle. We also developed and validated a novel multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to quantify the distribution of DD-associated bacterial species across DD lesion stages. We determined the DD-associated microbiota with deep amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by the application of novel and existing qPCR assays to quantify species distributions of Treponema, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, and Bacteroides across lesion stages. Deep amplicon sequencing revealed that Treponema, Mycoplasma, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium were associated with DD lesions. Culturing of DD biopsy specimens identified Porphyromonas levii, Bacteroides pyogenes, and two Fusobacterium spp. within DD lesions. Using species-specific qPCR on DD lesion DNA, we identified P. levii in 100% of active lesion stages. Early-stage lesions were particularly associated with Treponema medium, T. phagedenis, and P. levii. This study suggests a core DD microbial group consisting of species of Treponema, Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas, and Bacteroides, which may be closely tied with the etiopathogenesis of DD. Further characterizations of these species and Mycoplasma spp. are necessary to understand the microbial factors involved in DD pathogenesis, which will help elucidate DD etiology and facilitate more targeted and effective mitigation and treatment strategies. IMPORTANCE Previous work, primarily in dairy cattle, has identified various taxa associated with digital dermatitis (DD) lesions. However, there is a significant gap in our knowledge of DD microbiology in beef cattle. In addition, characterization of bacteria at the species level in DD lesions is limited. In this study, we provide a framework for the accurate and reproducible quantification of major DD-associated bacterial species from DNA samples. Our findings support DD as a polymicrobial infection, and we identified a variety of bacterial species spanning multiple genera that are consistently associated with DD lesions. The DD-associated microbiota identified in this study may be capable of inducing the formation and progression of DD lesions and thus should be primary targets in future DD pathogenesis studies.
Collapse
|
10
|
Cortes JA, Hendrick S, Janzen E, Pajor EA, Orsel K. Economic impact of digital dermatitis, foot rot, and bovine respiratory disease in feedlot cattle. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 5:txab076. [PMID: 34222822 PMCID: PMC8244990 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital dermatitis (DD) has emerged in North American feedlots, although production and economic impacts are not fully understood. Objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate the economic impact of a single case of DD, foot rot (FR), and bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in feedlot cattle and (2) determine its impact on average daily gain (ADG). Feedlot cattle health and production records were available from two feedlots for a 3-yr interval. The dataset consisted of 77,115 animal records, with 19.3% (14,900) diagnosed with a disease. Diseased animals were categorized into five groups: DD, FR, BRD, other diseases (OT), and two or more diseases (TM), with a treatment cumulative incidence of 6.0%, 59.1%, 10.7%, 12.7%, and 11.5%, respectively. FR was the disease with the highest cumulative incidence in both heifers and steers (58.8% and 59.6%, respectively). Of all fall-placed cattle diagnosed with any disease, 48.1% of the cases were FR. DD affected the partial budget in five out of the eight groups of cattle, with the highest impact of DD seen in grass yearling heifers and grass yearling steers: $-98 and $-96 CAD, respectively, relative to their healthier counterparts. Healthy cattle had a significantly higher ADG when compared with DD cattle in five of the eight categories, ranging from 0.11 kg/d in winter-placed heifers to 0.17 kg/d in fall-placed steers. In the economic analysis, it was concluded that on an individual animal basis, BRD was the most impactful of all analyzed diseases, whereas DD was second, marking the importance of controlling and mitigating this foot condition. Identifying differential effects of diseases on a partial budget analysis and ADG of the types of cattle stratified by sex enables feedlot producers to focus control and mitigation strategies on specific groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Alberto Cortes
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Eugene Janzen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Ed A Pajor
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Karin Orsel
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tracking Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in a Complex Microbial Community Using Metagenomic Hi-C: The Case of Bovine Digital Dermatitis. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10020221. [PMID: 33672258 PMCID: PMC7926801 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10020221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a contagious infectious cause of lameness in cattle with unknown definitive etiologies. Many of the bacterial species detected in metagenomic analyses of DD lesions are difficult to culture, and their antimicrobial resistance status is largely unknown. Recently, a novel proximity ligation-guided metagenomic approach (Hi-C ProxiMeta) has been used to identify bacterial reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) directly from microbial communities, without the need to culture individual bacteria. The objective of this study was to track tetracycline resistance determinants in bacteria involved in DD pathogenesis using Hi-C. A pooled sample of macerated tissues from clinical DD lesions was used for this purpose. Metagenome deconvolution using ProxiMeta resulted in the creation of 40 metagenome-assembled genomes with ≥80% complete genomes, classified into five phyla. Further, 1959 tetracycline resistance genes and ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycoside, beta-lactams, sulfonamide, phenicol, lincosamide, and erythromycin were identified along with their bacterial hosts. In conclusion, the widespread distribution of genes conferring resistance against tetracycline and other antimicrobials in bacteria of DD lesions is reported for the first time. Use of proximity ligation to identify microorganisms hosting specific ARGs holds promise for tracking ARGs transmission in complex microbial communities.
Collapse
|
12
|
Newbrook K, Carter SD, Crosby-Durrani H, Evans NJ. Challenge of Bovine Foot Skin Fibroblasts With Digital Dermatitis Treponemes Identifies Distinct Pathogenic Mechanisms. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:538591. [PMID: 33489929 PMCID: PMC7820575 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.538591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) is a common infectious disease of digital skin in cattle and an important cause of lameness worldwide, with limited treatment options. It is of increasing global concern for both animal welfare and food security, imposing a large economic burden on cattle farming industries each year. A polytreponemal etiology has been consistently identified, with three key phylogroups implicated globally: Treponema medium, Treponema phagedenis, and Treponema pedis. Pathogenic mechanisms which might enable targeted treatment/therapeutic development are poorly defined. This study used RNA sequencing to determine global differential mRNA expression in primary bovine foot skin fibroblasts following challenge with three representative BDD treponemes and a commensal treponeme, Treponema ruminis. A pro-inflammatory response was elicited by the BDD treponemes, mediated through IL-8/IL-17 signaling. Unexpectedly, the three BDD treponemes elicited distinct mechanisms of pathogenesis. T. phagedenis and T. pedis increased abundance of mRNA transcripts associated with apoptosis, while T. medium and T. pedis increased transcripts involved in actin rearrangement and loss of cell adhesion, likely promoting tissue invasion. The upregulation of antimicrobial peptide precursor, DEFB123, by T. phagedenis spirochaetes may present a microbial ecological advantage to all treponemes within BDD infected tissue, explaining their dominance within lesions. A commensal, T. ruminis, significantly dysregulated over three times the number of host mRNA transcripts compared to BDD treponemes, implying BDD treponemes, akin to the syphilis pathogen (Treponema pallidum), have evolved as "stealth pathogens" which avoid triggering substantial host immune/inflammatory responses to enable persistence and tissue invasion. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated increased IL-6, IL-8, RND1, and CFB protein expression in BDD lesions, confirming in vitro fibroblast observations and highlighting the system's value in modeling BDD pathogenesis. Several unique shared gene targets were identified, particularly RGS16, GRO1, MAFF, and ZC3H12A. The three key BDD Treponema phylogroups elicited both distinct and shared pathogenic mechanisms in bovine foot skin; upregulating inflammation whilst simultaneously suppressing adaptive immunity. The novel gene targets identified here should enable future vaccine/therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Newbrook
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley Crosby-Durrani
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Putative β-Barrel Outer Membrane Proteins of the Bovine Digital Dermatitis-Associated Treponemes: Identification, Functional Characterization, and Immunogenicity. Infect Immun 2020; 88:IAI.00050-20. [PMID: 32122940 PMCID: PMC7171239 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00050-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), an infectious disease of the bovine foot with a predominant treponemal etiology, is a leading cause of lameness in dairy and beef herds worldwide. BDD is poorly responsive to antimicrobial therapy and exhibits a relapsing clinical course; an effective vaccine is therefore urgently sought. Using a reverse vaccinology approach, the present study surveyed the genomes of the three BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups for putative β-barrel outer membrane proteins and considered their potential as vaccine candidates. Selection criteria included the presence of a signal peptidase I cleavage site, a predicted β-barrel fold, and cross-phylogroup homology. Four candidate genes were overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), refolded, and purified. Consistent with their classification as β-barrel OMPs, circular-dichroism spectroscopy revealed the adoption of a predominantly β-sheet secondary structure. These recombinant proteins, when screened for their ability to adhere to immobilized extracellular matrix (ECM) components, exhibited a diverse range of ligand specificities. All four proteins specifically and dose dependently adhered to bovine fibrinogen. One recombinant protein was identified as a candidate diagnostic antigen (disease specificity, 75%). Finally, when adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide and administered to BDD-naive calves using a prime-boost vaccination protocol, these proteins were immunogenic, eliciting specific IgG antibodies. In summary, we present the description of four putative treponemal β-barrel OMPs that exhibit the characteristics of multispecific adhesins. The observed interactions with fibrinogen may be critical to host colonization and it is hypothesized that vaccination-induced antibody blockade of these interactions will impede treponemal virulence and thus be of therapeutic value.
Collapse
|
14
|
Bay V, Griffiths B, Carter S, Evans NJ, Lenzi L, Bicalho RC, Oikonomou G. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing reveals a polymicrobial nature of complicated claw horn disruption lesions and interdigital phlegmon in dairy cattle. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15529. [PMID: 30341326 PMCID: PMC6195575 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33993-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Lameness represents an intractable problem for the dairy industry. Complicated claw horn disruption lesions, interdigital hyperplasia, and interdigital phlegmon are important lameness causing foot lesions. Their aetiology is multifactorial, but infectious processes are likely implicated in disease pathogenesis. Our aim was to investigate the bacterial profiles of these lesions using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of samples obtained from 51 cattle across ten farms in the UK. In this study, interdigital hyperplasia, interdigital hyperplasia with signs of interdigital dermatitis, interdigital phlegmon, complicated sole ulcers, complicated toe ulcers lesions, and complicated white line lesions were investigated; corresponding healthy skin control samples were also analysed. All diseased tissues displayed reduced microbial richness and diversity (as described by Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson alpha-diversity indices) compared to their healthy skin control samples. Our results confirm the association of Treponema spp with some of these disorders. Other anaerobic bacteria including Fusobacterium spp., Fastidiosipila spp. and Porphyromonas spp. were implicated in the aetiology of all these lesions with the exception of interdigital hyperplasia. Complicated claw horn disruption lesions, and interdigital phlegmon were found to have similar bacterial profiles. Such sharing of bacterial genera suggests many of the infectious agents detected in these foot lesions are acting opportunistically; this finding could contribute towards future treatment and control strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V Bay
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - B Griffiths
- Department of Livestock Health and Welfare, Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - S Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - N J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - L Lenzi
- Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - R C Bicalho
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
| | - G Oikonomou
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
- Department of Livestock Health and Welfare, Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Han S, Mansfield KG, Bradway DS, Besser TE, Read DH, Haldorson GJ, Alt DP, Wilson-Welder JH. Treponeme-Associated Hoof Disease of Free-Ranging Elk ( Cervus elaphus) in Southwestern Washington State, USA. Vet Pathol 2018; 56:118-132. [PMID: 30244661 DOI: 10.1177/0300985818798108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
A novel foot disease in free-ranging elk ( Cervus elaphus) in southwestern Washington State emerged in 2008 and spread throughout the region. Initial studies showed adult elk had chronic hoof overgrowth, sole ulcers, and sloughed hoof capsules, but no cause was determined. To identify possible causes and characterize the earliest lesions, 9-, 7-, and 3-month-old elk were collected. Nine-month-old elk had sole ulcers (3/9 elk) and sloughed/overgrown hoof capsules (4/9 elk) similar to adults. Histologically, lesions consisted of coronary, heel bulb, and interdigital ulcers with suppurative inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia, deeply invasive spirochetes, and underrunning of the hoof capsule and heel-sole junction. Spirochetes were identified as Treponema via immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Seven-month-old elk had similar underrunning foot ulcers (6/8 elk) with Treponema identified in all lesions but no chronic overgrowth or sloughed hoof capsules. Three-month-old calves had superficial coronary erosions with no inflammation or identifiable spirochetes (3/5 elk) but were culture/PCR positive for Treponema, suggesting possible early lesions. Lesions from 9- and 7-month-old elk included aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, many of which are associated with infectious foot disease in livestock. Antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of 7- and 3-month-old elk from the enzootic region showed a trend toward increased Treponema antibody titers compared to normal control elk from outside the region, further supporting the significance of Treponema in the pathogenesis of foot disease. Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) in elk, a debilitating and progressive condition, shares similarities to bovine digital dermatitis and contagious ovine digital dermatitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sushan Han
- 1 Colorado State University Diagnostic Medicine Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Dan S Bradway
- 3 Washington State University Washington Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Thomas E Besser
- 3 Washington State University Washington Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Deryck H Read
- 4 California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gary J Haldorson
- 3 Washington State University Washington Animal Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - David P Alt
- 5 Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Jennifer H Wilson-Welder
- 5 Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Ames, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Orsel K, Plummer P, Shearer J, De Buck J, Carter SD, Guatteo R, Barkema HW. Missing pieces of the puzzle to effectively control digital dermatitis. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 65 Suppl 1:186-198. [PMID: 29124910 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Since the first report of bovine digital dermatitis (DD) in 1974, there is a large body of the literature published; however, effective prevention and control of the disease remain elusive. Although many aspects of the pathogenesis of DD have been investigated, even some of the most basic questions such as the aetiology of this disease remain under debate. Treponema spp. have been strongly associated with DD lesions and occur in abundance in advanced lesions; however, efforts to induce disease with pure cultures of these organisms have been largely underwhelming and inconsistent. Furthermore, although the disease has been presented for several decades, there is limited scientific evidence regarding effective treatment of DD. Apparent discrepancies between effectiveness in vitro and in vivo have challenged the scientific community to identify new potential treatment options. With no treatment resulting in a 100% cure rate, the current expectation is manageable control, but prospects for the eradication of the disease are unlikely using current approaches. In order to develop more effective approaches to control DD on-farm, there is a critical need for a deeper understanding regarding the causation, ecology, transmission and treatment of this disease. In this article, we attempt to provide insights into specific research needs related to DD in order to assist the industry, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and research sponsors with decision-making and identified research gaps.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Orsel
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - P Plummer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, USA.,Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, USA
| | - J Shearer
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, USA
| | - J De Buck
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - S D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - R Guatteo
- BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, Nantes, France
| | - H W Barkema
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Plummer PJ, Krull A. Clinical Perspectives of Digital Dermatitis in Dairy and Beef Cattle. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 2017; 33:165-181. [PMID: 28579041 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Digital dermatitis is a polybacterial disease process of dairy and beef cattle. Lesions are most commonly identified on the plantar aspect of the interdigital cleft of the hind limbs. Treponema spp are routinely present in large numbers of active lesions. Lesions are painful to the touch and can result in clinical lameness. The infectious nature generally results in endemic infection of cattle herds and management requires a comprehensive and integrated multipronged approach. This article provides current perspectives regarding management and treatment of digital dermatitis on dairy and beef cattle operations and provides a review for clinicians dealing with a clinical outbreak.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Plummer
- Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA USA.
| | - Adam Krull
- Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Detection and Isolation of Digital Dermatitis Treponemes from Bovine Pressure Sores. J Comp Pathol 2016; 154:273-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
19
|
Krull AC, Cooper VL, Coatney JW, Shearer JK, Gorden PJ, Plummer PJ. A Highly Effective Protocol for the Rapid and Consistent Induction of Digital Dermatitis in Holstein Calves. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154481. [PMID: 27119564 PMCID: PMC4847800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine Digital Dermatitis (DD) is a leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle. DD is reportedly increasing in prevalence in beef cattle feedlots of the US. The exact etiologic agent(s) responsible for the disease have yet to be determined. Multiple studies have demonstrated the presence of a variety of Treponema spp. within lesions. Attempts to reproduce clinically relevant disease using pure cultures of these organisms has failed to result in lesions that mirror the morphology and severity of naturally occurring lesions. This manuscript details the systematic development of an experimental protocol that reliably induces digital dermatitis lesions on a large enough scale to allow experimental evaluation of treatment and prevention measures. In total, 21 protocols from five experiments were evaluated on their effectiveness in inducing DD lesions in 126 Holstein calves (504 feet). The protocols varied in the type and concentration of inoculum, frequency of inoculation, duration the feet were wrapped, and type of experimental controls need to validate a successful induction. Knowledge gained in the first four experiments resulted in a final protocol capable of inducing DD lesions in 42 of 44 (95%) feet over a 28 day period. All induced lesions were macroscopically and microscopically identified as clinical DD lesions by individuals blinded to protocols. Lesions were also located at the site of inoculation in the palmer aspect of the interdigital space, and induced clinically measurable lameness in a significant portion of the calves. Collectively these results validate the model and provide a rapid and reliable means of inducing DD in large groups of calves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Krull
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Vickie L. Cooper
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - John W. Coatney
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jan K. Shearer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Patrick J. Gorden
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Paul J. Plummer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Krull AC, Shearer JK, Gorden PJ, Scott HM, Plummer PJ. Digital dermatitis: Natural lesion progression and regression in Holstein dairy cattle over 3 years. J Dairy Sci 2016; 99:3718-3731. [PMID: 26923049 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2015-10535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (DD) is a leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle in the United States, with prevalence estimates as high as 30%. Whereas clinical lesions have been well described, little is known about the morphologic changes that are associated with the early stages of lesion development from normal skin to clinical lesions. This study used the Iowa DD scoring system to evaluate the epidemiology of natural lesion development by digitally photographing the rear legs of a cohort of dairy cows over a 3-yr period. Sixty-one adult Holstein dairy cows were monitored for 1,032 cow foot-months. The incidence rate of lesion development was 4 lesions per 100 cow foot-months, with the average time for a lesion to develop being 133 d. Whereas 20% of the 1,678 foot observations exhibited clinical DD lesions, an additional 55% of all observations exhibited preclinical stage 1 and 2 lesions that were indicative of DD lesion development. Utilizing the dichotomous categorization of preclinical lesions in the Iowa DD scoring system, it was found that first-lactation heifers had a higher rate of the thickened and crusted "B" type lesions, whereas the ulcerative "A" type lesions were more likely to be identified in multiparous animals. For clinical DD lesions that received topical treatment, scoring of the post-treatment lesions using the Iowa DD scoring system was found to be useful in prognosticating both the risk of recrudescence and the time until recrudescence. Systemic disease, systemic antibiotic therapy, and periparturient stress were not associated with an increase or decrease in DD lesion scores. Treatment with a single topical tetracycline wrap was associated with a significant decrease (-1.17) in DD lesion score. The results of this study demonstrate that the complex morphologic changes associated with digital dermatitis can be readily classified using the Iowa DD scoring system and the scores can be used to predict and monitor the effects of treatment and prevention measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam C Krull
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011
| | - Jan K Shearer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011
| | - Patrick J Gorden
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011
| | - H Morgan Scott
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M, College Station 77843
| | - Paul J Plummer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011; Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Clegg SR, Carter SD, Stewart JP, Amin DM, Blowey RW, Evans NJ. Bovine ischaemic teat necrosis: a further potential role for digital dermatitis treponemes. Vet Rec 2016; 178:71. [PMID: 26743503 DOI: 10.1136/vr.103167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A recent outbreak of ischaemic teat necrosis (ITN) on mainland UK has resulted in large economic losses for dairy farmers. Typical cases start as an area of dry, thickened and encrusted skin on the medial aspect of the base of the teat, where the teat joins the udder, often with a fetid odour. The erosion spreads down the teat, often causing intense irritation, which in turn leads to more severely affected animals removing the entire teat. Due to the severity of ITN and the substantial economic costs to the industry, analyses were undertaken to ascertain if an infectious agent might be involved in the pathology. The study has considered a role for digital dermatitis (DD) treponemes in the aetiopathogenesis of ITN because, as well as being the prime bacteria associated with infectious lameness, they have been associated with a number of emerging skin diseases of cattle, including udder lesions. A high association between presence of DD-associated treponemes and incidence of ITN (19/22), compared with absence in the control population is reported. Furthermore, sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of treponeme isolates supports the hypothesis that the identified treponemes are similar or identical to those isolated from classical foot DD lesions in cattle (and sheep). Further studies are required to allow effective targeted prevention measures and/or treatments to be developed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S R Clegg
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - S D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - J P Stewart
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - D M Amin
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| | - R W Blowey
- University of Liverpool & Wood Veterinary Group, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4NB, UK
| | - N J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wilson-Welder JH, Alt DP, Nally JE. Digital Dermatitis in Cattle: Current Bacterial and Immunological Findings. Animals (Basel) 2015; 5:1114-35. [PMID: 26569318 PMCID: PMC4693204 DOI: 10.3390/ani5040400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally; digital dermatitis is a leading form of lameness observed in production dairy cattle. While the precise etiology remains to be determined; the disease is clearly associated with infection by numerous species of treponemes; in addition to other anaerobic bacteria. The goal of this review article is to provide an overview of the current literature; focusing on discussion of the polybacterial nature of the digital dermatitis disease complex and host immune response. Several phylotypes of treponemes have been identified; some of which correlate with location in the lesion and some with stages of lesion development. Local innate immune responses may contribute to the proliferative, inflammatory conditions that perpetuate digital dermatitis lesions. While serum antibody is produced to bacterial antigens in the lesions, little is known about cellular-based immunity. Studies are still required to delineate the pathogenic traits of treponemes associated with digital dermatitis; and other host factors that mediate pathology and protection of digital dermatitis lesions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Wilson-Welder
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
| | - David P Alt
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
| | - Jarlath E Nally
- Infectious Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
The gastrointestinal tract as a potential infection reservoir of digital dermatitis-associated treponemes in beef cattle and sheep. Appl Environ Microbiol 2015; 81:7460-9. [PMID: 26276110 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01956-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital dermatitis (DD) is an important cause of lameness in dairy cattle worldwide. It has now been reported in beef cattle and also sheep (contagious ovine digital dermatitis [CODD]). Three Treponema phylogroups are consistently isolated from lesions, Treponema medium-like, Treponema phagedenis-like, and Treponema pedis. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract and feces are suggested sites of treponemal infection in dairy cattle; however, isolation of DD-associated treponemes from these areas has previously failed. This study surveyed gingival tissues, rectal tissues, and feces of beef cattle and sheep for the molecular presence (PCR) and isolation of the three cultivable DD-treponeme phylogroups. Of the sheep gingival (n = 40) and rectal (n = 40) tissues, 1/40 gingival tissues was positive for DD-associated treponemes (T. pedis), as were 3/40 rectal tissues (one containing T. medium-like and two containing T. pedis). No DD-associated treponeme DNA was amplified from beef cattle rectal tissues (n = 40); however, 4/40 beef gingival tissues were positive for DD-associated treponemes (all containing T. phagedenis-like). A T. phagedenis-like DD-associated treponeme was isolated from the rectal tissue of a CODD symptomatic sheep. Beef cattle (n = 41) and sheep (n = 79) feces failed to amplify DD-associated Treponema DNA. Twenty-two treponemes were isolated from sheep feces; however, upon phylogenetic analysis, these clustered with the considered nonpathogenic treponemes. This study detected DD-associated treponemes in the GI tract tissues of sheep and beef cattle and successfully isolated a DD-associated treponeme from ruminant rectal tissue. This gives evidence that the GI tract is an important infection reservoir of DD-associated treponemes in multiple DD-infected species.
Collapse
|
24
|
Palmer MA, O'Connell NE. Digital Dermatitis in Dairy Cows: A Review of Risk Factors and Potential Sources of Between-Animal Variation in Susceptibility. Animals (Basel) 2015; 5:512-35. [PMID: 26479371 PMCID: PMC4598691 DOI: 10.3390/ani5030369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Dairy cow lameness is a major problem for the industry, causing reduced animal welfare and economic loss. Digital dermatitis (DD) is a bacterial disease causing painful lesions, generally on the heels of the rear feet, and is an important cause of lameness. There appears to be individual variation between animals in susceptibility to this disease. Particular physical, physiological and behavioural factors might influence individual susceptibility, but further work is required to clarify the influence of these factors and to determine how this information could be used to develop breeding and management strategies to reduce DD prevalence. Abstract Digital dermatitis (DD) is a bacterial disease that primarily affects the skin on the heels of cattle. It is a major cause of lameness in dairy cows and a significant problem for the dairy industry in many countries, causing reduced animal welfare and economic loss. A wide range of infection levels has been found on infected farms, prompting investigations into both farm level and animal level risk factors for DD occurrence. There also appears to be individual variation between animals in susceptibility to the disease. The identification of factors affecting individual variation in susceptibility to DD might allow changes in breeding policies or herd management which could be used to reduce DD prevalence. Factors mentioned in the literature as possibly influencing individual variation in susceptibility to DD include physical factors such as hoof conformation and properties of the skin, physiological factors such as the efficacy of the immune response, and behavioural factors such as standing half in cubicles. Further work is required to determine the influence of these factors, identify the genetic basis of variation, clarify the level of heritability of DD susceptibility and to determine how this is correlated with production and health traits currently used in breeding programmes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maeve A Palmer
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5BN, UK.
| | - Niamh E O'Connell
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5BN, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Gomez A, Cook NB, Socha MT, Döpfer D. First-lactation performance in cows affected by digital dermatitis during the rearing period. J Dairy Sci 2015; 98:4487-98. [PMID: 25958279 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2014-9041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The long-term effects of prepartum digital dermatitis (DD) on first-lactation performance were evaluated in a cohort of 719 pregnant heifers. All heifers were followed for a period of 6 mo until calving and classified on the basis of the number of DD events diagnosed during this period as type I, type II, or type III (no DD, one DD event, and multiple DD events, respectively). Health during the initial 60d in milk (DIM), reproductive and hoof health outcomes, and milk production were compared between the 3 heifer type groups. All logistic and linear models were adjusted for age, height, and girth circumference at enrollment, and the type of trace mineral supplementation during the prepartum period. Overall, cows experiencing DD during the rearing period showed worse production and health outcomes compared with healthy heifers during the first lactation. The percentages of assisted calvings, stillbirths, culled before 60 DIM, and diseased cows during the fresh period were numerically higher in type III cows compared with type I cows. However, none of these differences were statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Significantly lower conception at first service [odds ratio (OR)=0.55, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.33, 0.89] and increased number of days open (mean=24d, 95% CI: 5.2, 43) were observed in type III cows compared with type I cows. In relation to hoof health, a significantly increased risk of DD during the first lactation was found in type II and III cows (OR=5.16, 95% CI: 3.23, 8.29; and OR=12.5, 95% CI: 7.52, 21.1, respectively), as well as earlier occurrence of DD following calving (OR=59d, 95% CI=20, 96, and OR=74d, 95% CI: 37, 109). Compared with type I cows, statistically significant milk production losses during the initial 305 DIM of 199 and 335kg were estimated in type II and III cows, respectively. This difference was due to a greater rate of production decline (less persistence) after peak yield. No differences in monthly fat and protein percentages or somatic cell counts were observed between the heifer types. Given the long-term effects of DD on health, reproduction, and production, one of the priorities during the rearing period of dairy heifers should be efficient DD prevention and control programs. Such intensive intervention programs based on active long-term DD surveillance, mitigation of risk factors, and prompt treatment are expected to increase overall animal well-being and farm profitability by minimizing the effect of DD during the first lactation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Gomez
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706-1102.
| | - N B Cook
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706-1102
| | - M T Socha
- Zinpro Corporation, 10400 Viking Dr., Ste. 240, Eden Prairie, MN 55374
| | - D Döpfer
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706-1102
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Wilson-Welder JH, Alt DP, Nally JE. The etiology of digital dermatitis in ruminants: recent perspectives. VETERINARY MEDICINE-RESEARCH AND REPORTS 2015; 6:155-164. [PMID: 30101102 PMCID: PMC6070020 DOI: 10.2147/vmrr.s62072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Digital dermatitis (DD) is a multifactorial polymicrobial infectious disease originally described in dairy cattle, but is increasingly recognized in beef cattle, sheep, and more recently, elk and goats. Clinical bovine lesions typically appear on the plantar surface of the hind foot from the interdigital space and heel bulb to the accessory digits, with a predilection for skin–horn junctions. Lesions present as a painful ulcerative acute or chronic inflammatory process with differing degrees of severity. This variability reflects disease progression and results in a number of different clinical descriptions with overlapping pathologies that ultimately have a related bacterial etiology. The goal of this review article is to provide a concise overview of our current understanding on digital dermatitis disease to facilitate clinical recognition, our current understanding on the causative agents, and recent advances in our understanding of disease transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Wilson-Welder
- Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA,
| | - David P Alt
- Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA,
| | - Jarlath E Nally
- Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA, USA,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Sullivan LE, Evans NJ, Blowey RW, Grove-White DH, Clegg SR, Duncan JS, Carter SD. A molecular epidemiology of treponemes in beef cattle digital dermatitis lesions and comparative analyses with sheep contagious ovine digital dermatitis and dairy cattle digital dermatitis lesions. Vet Microbiol 2015; 178:77-87. [PMID: 25937315 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) is an infective foot disease commonly reported in dairy cattle where Treponema are considered as the primary causative infectious agents. There still remains little definitive information on the etiology of BDD in beef cattle suggesting further investigations are warranted. Beef BDD lesions (n=34) and healthy beef foot tissues (n=38) were analysed by PCR for three BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups and also for Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. Spirochete culture was attempted on all BDD lesion samples. One or more BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups were detected in 100% of beef BDD lesions. "Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like", "Treponema phagedenis-like" and Treponema pedis spirochetes were identified in 27/34 (79%), 31/34 (91%) and 24/34 (71%) of BDD lesions, respectively. No BDD-associated treponeme DNA was amplified from beef healthy foot tissues. D. nodosus and F. necrophorum were present in 24/34 (71%) and 15/34 (44%) of lesions and 10/38 (26%) and 12/38 (32%) of healthy foot tissues, respectively. Twenty spirochetes were isolated from beef BDD lesions; 19 were representatives of the three BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups. One spirochete isolate shared less than 97% 16S rRNA gene similarity to the three cultivable BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups and therefore may represent a novel taxa of Treponema. Upon comparison, sheep contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD), dairy cattle and beef cattle BDD lesions appear to have extremely similar bacteriological data and therefore provides evidence of a shared etiopathogenesis posing concerns for cross-species transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L E Sullivan
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 5RF, UK.
| | - N J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 5RF, UK
| | - R W Blowey
- University of Liverpool & Wood Veterinary Group, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2 4NB UK
| | - D H Grove-White
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK
| | - S R Clegg
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 5RF, UK
| | - J S Duncan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK
| | - S D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 5RF, UK
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
High-level association of bovine digital dermatitis Treponema spp. with contagious ovine digital dermatitis lesions and presence of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus. J Clin Microbiol 2015; 53:1628-38. [PMID: 25740778 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00180-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) is an important foot disease in sheep, with significant animal welfare and economic implications. It is thought that CODD emerged from bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) via treponemal bacteria. With wildlife species such as elk now suffering a CODD-like disease, it is imperative to clarify these disease etiologies. A large investigation into treponemal association with CODD is warranted. CODD lesions (n = 58) and healthy sheep foot tissues (n = 56) were analyzed by PCR for the three BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups and two other lameness-associated bacteria, Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. Spirochete culture was also attempted on CODD lesions. "Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like," "Treponema phagedenis-like," and Treponema pedis spirochetes were identified in 39/58 (67%), 49/58 (85%), and 41/58 (71%) of CODD lesions, respectively. One or more BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups were detected in 100% of CODD lesions. Healthy foot tissues did not amplify BDD-associated Treponema phylogroup DNA. D. nodosus and F. necrophorum were present in 34/58 (59%) and 41/58 (71%) of CODD lesions and 22/56 (39%) and 5/56 (9%) of healthy foot tissues, respectively. Thirty-two spirochetes were isolated from CODD lesions, with representatives clustering with, and indistinguishable from, each of the three BDD-associated Treponema phylogroups based on 16S rRNA gene comparisons. This study for the first time demonstrates a high-level association for BDD treponeme phylogroups in CODD and their absence from healthy tissues, supporting the hypothesis that BDD treponemes play a primary causative role in CODD and confirming that the specific PCR assays are an effective differential diagnostic tool for CODD.
Collapse
|
29
|
Sullivan LE, Evans NJ, Clegg SR, Carter SD, Horsfield JE, Grove-White D, Duncan JS. Digital dermatitis treponemes associated with a severe foot disease in dairy goats. Vet Rec 2014; 176:283. [PMID: 25428906 DOI: 10.1136/vr.102858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A UK dairy goat herd was assessed after reports of a severe lameness problem of unknown aetiology. A lameness prevalence estimate was produced and individual clinical examination of 15 randomly selected lame goats was performed. Fifteen animals had foot lesions closely resembling contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) in sheep. Eight of the goats examined presented with typical CODD lesions and seven showed what appeared to be a more severe CODD with under-running of the sole. Ten biopsy samples were obtained from the foot lesions and tested by PCR for the three previously isolated digital dermatitis (DD) Treponema phylogroups and culture of treponemes was attempted. Ninety per cent of the biopsy samples were positive for Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like spirochaetes and Treponema phagedenis-like DD spirochaetes and 80per cent were positive for Treponema pedis. Spirochaetes were successfully isolated from 50 per cent of lesion samples. Three isolates were identified as belonging to the T. phagedenis-like spirochaetes and two were identified as T. pedis. The frequent isolation of similar treponemes to those isolated from bovine digital dermatitis and CODD lesions and the identification of these DD-associated phylotypes in the vast majority of lesions support the hypothesis that this novel foot condition is associated with infection by DD treponemes, and given the similarities to CODD, it suggests a causal role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L E Sullivan
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - N J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - S R Clegg
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - S D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Science Park ic2, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - J E Horsfield
- Lanes Veterinary Group, Green Lane Veterinary Centre, Leachfield Industrial Estate, Green Lane West, Cabus, Garstang PR3 1PR, UK
| | - D Grove-White
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - J S Duncan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Isolation of digital dermatitis treponemes from hoof lesions in Wild North American Elk (Cervus elaphus) in Washington State, USA. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 53:88-94. [PMID: 25355757 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02276-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 2008, a large increase in the numbers of cases of lameness have been seen in wild North American elk (Cervus elaphus) from Washington State, USA. The most recent cases manifested as foot lesions similar both clinically and pathologically to those seen in digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle and sheep, a disease with a bacterial etiopathogenesis. To determine whether the same bacteria considered responsible for DD are associated with elk lameness, lesion samples were subjected to bacterial isolation studies and PCR assays for three phylogroups of relevant DD treponemes. The DD treponemes were isolated from lesional tissues but not from control feet or other areas of the diseased foot (including the coronary band or interdigital space), suggesting that the bacteria are strongly associated with DD lesions and may therefore be causal. In addition, PCR analysis revealed that all three unique DD treponeme phylotypes were found in elk hoof disease, and in 23% of samples, all 3 DD-associated treponemes were present in lesions. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that the elk lesion treponemes were phylogenetically almost identical to those isolated from cattle and sheep DD lesions. The isolates were particularly similar to two of the three culturable DD treponeme phylotypes: specifically, the Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like and Treponema phagedenis-like DD spirochetes. The third treponeme culturable phylogroup (Treponema pedis), although detected by PCR, was not isolated. This is the first report describing isolation of DD treponemes from a wildlife host, suggesting that the disease may be evolving to include a wider spectrum of cloven-hoofed animals.
Collapse
|
31
|
Sullivan LE, Blowey RW, Carter SD, Duncan JS, Grove-White DH, Page P, Iveson T, Angell JW, Evans NJ. Presence of digital dermatitis treponemes on cattle and sheep hoof trimming equipment. Vet Rec 2014; 175:201. [PMID: 24821857 DOI: 10.1136/vr.102269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Digital dermatitis (DD) is an infectious foot disease causing severe lameness in dairy cattle (worldwide) and sheep (UK). This study investigated whether DD Treponema phylogroups can be present on equipment used to trim ruminant hooves and, therefore, consider this trimming equipment as a possible vector for the transmission of DD. Equipment was tested after being used to trim DD symptomatic and asymptomatic cattle and sheep hooves, and subsequently after disinfection of equipment. After trimming, 'Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like', 'Treponema phagedenis-like' and 'Treponema denticola/T putidum-like' DD spirochaetes, were shown to be present on 23/37 (62%), 21/37 (57%) and 20/37 (54%) of knives, respectively. After disinfection, detection rates for the DD treponemes were 9/37 (24%), 6/37 (16%) and 3/37 (8%), respectively. Following culture of a swab, an isolate belonging to the T phagedenis-like spirochaetes was identified from a knife sample after trimming a DD positive cow. No isolates were obtained from knife samples after disinfection. This new data has, for the first time, identified treponemes in the farm environment, and highlighted disinfection of hoof trimming equipment between animals and between farms, as a logical precaution to limit the spread of DD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L E Sullivan
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - R W Blowey
- University of Liverpool & Wood Veterinary Group, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4NB, UK
| | - S D Carter
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| | - J S Duncan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK
| | - D H Grove-White
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK
| | - P Page
- University of Liverpool & Wood Veterinary Group, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4NB, UK
| | - T Iveson
- University of Liverpool & Wood Veterinary Group, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4NB, UK
| | - J W Angell
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Neston, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 7TE, UK
| | - N J Evans
- Department of Infection Biology, School of Veterinary Science, Institute of infection and Global Health, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5RF, UK
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Affiliation(s)
- Niamh O'Connell
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland Technology Centre, Cloreen Park, Malone Road, Belfast BT9 5HN, UK
| |
Collapse
|