The severity of footrot lesions induced by aprV2-positive strains of Dichelobacter nodosus varies between strains.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical virulence of aprV2-positive lesser virulent field isolates of footrot bacteria Dichelobacter nodosus in comparison with an aprV2-positive clinically virulent reference strain. Correlations between the clinical expression of the disease and the presence of aprV2 (detected using PCR tests) have been inconsistent. A second objective was to evaluate the elimination of D. nodosus following treatment of sheep as some strains of D. nodosus have been reported to be difficult to eliminate. METHODS: The virulence of three aprV2-positive field isolates of D. nodosus which had lesser virulent phenotypes, and an aprV2-positive virulent reference strain was evaluated in a sheep trial using a pasture-based experimental infection model. In the second phase of the study, treatments including footbathing and a long-acting antibiotic were administered and their efficacy in elimination of these strains was evaluated. RESULTS: Severe underrun (score 4) lesions developed in sheep infected with the aprV2-positive virulent reference strain but not in sheep infected with the field isolates; they had mild lesions (score 2 or 3). The three field isolates and the virulent reference strain of D. nodosus were eliminated by intensive foot bathing and antibiotic therapy in combination with housing the animals in dry conditions post-treatment. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the presence of aprV2 gene in isolates of D. nodosus may not be a reliable indicator of virulence and that further investigation of the factors that determine clinical virulence is required. While the treatment regime was successful, based on a range of considerations, the use of such an intensive treatment involving antibiotics should be limited to small groups of high-value animals, such as rams.

Comparison of recto-anal mucosal swab and faecal culture for the detection of Escherichia coli O157 and identification of super-shedding in a mob of Merino sheep.

We compared the use of recto-anal mucosal swab (RAMS) culture and faecal culture for the detection of E. coli O157 in a mob of Merino sheep. Fifty Merino wethers and maiden ewes housed in indoor pens were sampled on five occasions. We detected E coli O157 in 32% (16/50) of sheep, with weekly prevalence ranging from 4% (2/50) to 16% (8/50). Overall, 12·5% (2/16) were detected by RAMS culture only, and 37·5% (6/16) were detected by faecal culture only. The level of agreement between the two sampling methods was moderate [kappa statistic = 0·583, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·460-0·707]. The relative sensitivities of RAMS and faecal culture were 67% (95% CI 41-86) and 57% (95% CI 34-77), respectively. We identified four super-shedding sheep using direct faecal culture. Although the majority of culture-positive sheep were detected at one sampling point only, 3/4 super-shedding sheep were culture-positive at two sampling points, and 1/4 was culture-positive at four sampling points. Persistent culture positivity may indicate sheep that could be considered 'super-shedders' at some point. The use of immunomagnetic separation further improved the rate of detection of E. coli O157, which was isolated from 1/34 animals that were previously negative by enrichment culture alone. A significant difference between sampling weeks was detected for both faecal (P = 0·021) and RAMS (P = 0·006), with the prevalence at the mid-point of sampling (week 4) significantly (P < 0·05) higher than at the beginning or end of the study. Study conditions (penned sheep) might have been responsible for the high prevalence and the epidemic pattern of infection observed, and could serve as a future model for studies of E. coli O157 transmission, shedding and super-shedding in sheep.