Transmission of virulent footrot between sheep and goats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the infectivity of ovine and caprine strains of Dichelobacter nodosus for both sheep and goats.


METHODS
Pen experiments in which 20 sheep and 19 goats were challenged directly with the two strains, and transmission experiments on pasture, using donors infected by experimental challenge.


RESULTS
Sheep and goat strains of D nodosus infected both animal species in experimental challenges. Animals so infected transmitted footrot to both sheep and goats on pasture plots. A significantly smaller proportion of goats than sheep was infected when challenged with either strain. The interval between exposure and development of footrot in goats was longer than in sheep when recipient animals were exposed to infected donors on pasture. The disease was less invasive in goats than in sheep.


CONCLUSIONS
With the strains of D nodosus used there was no evidence of host specificity. Direct transmission of footrot can occur between sheep and goats in the same environment. There is a need to include goats in ovine footrot eradication programs and vice versa.
Ghimire
S C
SC
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales.
Egerton
J R
JR
Dhungyel
O P
OP
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D020376:Dichelobacter nodosus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary*; D005535:Foot Rot / Q000635:transmission*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D006041:Goats; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000635:transmission*