Back to Reference Library
veterinary
farriery
2020
Cohort Study

The prevalence of Dichelobacter nodosus in clinically footrot-free sheep flocks: a comparative field study on elimination strategies.

Authors: Kraft A F, Strobel H, Hilke J, Steiner A, Kuhnert P

Journal: BMC veterinary research

Summary

# Editorial Summary: *Dichelobacter nodosus* Detection in Clinically Footrot-Free Flocks Ovine footrot remains a significant production and welfare issue globally, yet Switzerland's planned national eradication programme raised important questions about whether clinically sound flocks truly harbour no infectious agent. Kraft and colleagues examined 30 Swiss sheep farms classified as footrot-free, stratified by their elimination method: mechanical management alone (hoof bathing and trimming; 10 farms), targeted individual treatments and vaccination (10 farms), or whole-flock systemic macrolide therapy (10 farms). Using PCR detection of *aprV2/aprB2* genes on pooled interdigital swabs, they identified both virulent and benign *D. nodosus* strains in clinically disease-free animals, with detection rates varying significantly between treatment approaches. The findings highlight a critical gap between clinical signs and carrier status—farms using only mechanical interventions remained at higher risk of harbouring virulent strains despite absent clinical disease. For practitioners involved in footrot control programmes, these results underscore that clinical assessment alone is insufficient for certification purposes, and that antimicrobial flock treatments may offer greater reliability for achieving true negative status within eradication frameworks.

Read the full abstract on PubMed

Practical Takeaways

  • Clinical footrot-free status alone may not guarantee absence of D. nodosus; PCR testing of swabs is needed to confirm true disease freedom
  • Different elimination strategies (mechanical hoof care vs. vaccination vs. systemic antimicrobials) should be evaluated for effectiveness in eradication programs
  • Understanding which treatment approaches are most effective can guide flock-level footrot control and eradication strategy selection

Key Findings

  • Study compared three elimination strategies (hoof bathing/trimming, individual treatments with vaccine, whole-flock macrolide therapy) for D. nodosus in clinically footrot-free sheep flocks
  • PCR testing of interdigital swabs was used to detect virulent and benign D. nodosus strains in flocks claiming footrot-free status
  • Research assessed feasibility of different treatment approaches for a planned nationwide Swiss footrot eradication program

Conditions Studied

ovine footrotdichelobacter nodosus infection