In vitro and ex vivo testing of alternative disinfectants to currently used more harmful substances in footbaths against Dichelobacter nodosus.
Authors: Hidber Tobias, Pauli Urs, Steiner Adrian, Kuhnert Peter
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary Footrot control programmes relying on footbaths present a significant occupational health challenge, as formaldehyde, zinc sulfate and copper sulfate—the traditional disinfectants—carry documented carcinogenic or environmental risks; this Swiss study therefore investigated safer alternatives for controlling *Dichelobacter nodosus* infection in sheep. Researchers screened multiple candidate disinfectants through in vitro culture work before progressing to ex vivo testing on naturally contaminated sheep feet, employing a novel PMAxx-based real-time PCR assay capable of distinguishing viable from dead bacteria rather than relying on culture-dependent methods alone. Desintec Hoof Care Special D proved equally effective at 6% concentration as the benchmark 4% formaldehyde treatment, substantially outperforming the 10% zinc sulfate comparator. For equine professionals—particularly those using footbaths for infectious disease management—this finding is relevant insofar as safer disinfectant alternatives with demonstrated efficacy against gram-negative pathogens may become available for licensing, potentially reducing occupational exposure risks whilst maintaining biosecurity standards. The practical implication extends beyond sheep work: as regulatory pressures mount against hazardous biocides, identifying and validating safer replacements provides a template for similar evaluations in equine foot disease protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Desintec at 6% can replace formaldehyde in footbath protocols for footrot control with equivalent efficacy and reduced health and environmental concerns
- •When selecting footbath disinfectants, verify efficacy against virulent D. nodosus strains; zinc sulfate was less effective than formaldehyde in this testing
- •This alternative disinfectant supports safer footbath management practices, particularly relevant for sheep operations implementing mandatory footrot control programs
Key Findings
- •Desintec at 6% concentration achieved equivalent antimicrobial efficacy against Dichelobacter nodosus compared to 4% formaldehyde in ex vivo sheep foot testing
- •Formaldehyde (4%) was significantly more effective than zinc sulfate (10%) in ex vivo assays
- •PMAxx-based real-time PCR successfully discriminated viable from dead D. nodosus in footbath disinfectant testing
- •Desintec offers a viable alternative to carcinogenic and environmentally harmful currently-used footbath disinfectants while maintaining efficacy