An experimental infection model to induce digital dermatitis infection in cattle

Bovine digital dermatitis (DD), also known as papillomatous digital dermatitis (foot warts), has been recognized as a major cause of lameness in cattle, with important economic and welfare consequences. The evaluation of therapeutic and preventive interventions aiming to control DD infections in dairy cattle is often challenged by the complex multifactorial etiology of the disease. An experimental infection model to induce acute DD lesions in a controlled environment is proposed. The goal was to provide a standard way of reproducing DD infections independent of external factors that could confound the natural course of the disease, such as management practices or infection pressure, resulting in transmission of DD between animals. A group of 4 yearling Holstein heifers free of any clinical evidence of hoof disease was recruited from a commercial dairy farm and housed in an experimental facility in 1 pen with slatted flooring. The hind feet were wrapped to mimic conditions of prolonged moisture (maceration) and reduced access to air (closure) and inoculated at the heel and dewclaw areas with a homogenate of a naturally occurring DD lesion skin biopsy or a culture broth of Treponema spp. After a period of 12 to 25 d, 4 of 6 and 1 of 4 dewclaw areas inoculated with biopsied DD lesion or a Treponema spp. culture, respectively, had gross lesions compatible with DD. Histopathology confirmed the gross diagnosis in the sites inoculated with tissue homogenate. In the site inoculated with Treponema spp. culture broth, histopathology revealed an incipient DD lesion. Treponema spp. were detected by PCR in both naturally occurring DD homogenate and Treponema spp. culture broth inoculation sites. An experimental infection model to induce acute DD in cattle was developed, which may be used to evaluate interventions to control DD and study the pathogenesis of this infectious hoof disease in a controlled manner.