Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis Research Articles

Case-Control Study of Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis in Southern California Dairies

In order to describe papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD), and to determine risk factors for highly affected dairies, data from 37 southern California dairies with >5% of cows affected (highly affected dairies, cases) were compared with those from 20 dairies with 5.5% of cows affected (controls). Information on dairy environment, management and PDD occurrence was obtained from dairy managers, veterinarians and hooftrimmers, and by direct measurement.

Case-control study of papillomatous digital dermatitis in Southern California dairy farms

Data from 37 southern California dairy farms, with an annual average proportion of > 5% of cows affected by papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) (cases), were compared with those from 20 dairy farms with ≤ 5% cows affected (controls). Information on dairy environment, management and PDD occurrence was obtained from dairy managers, veterinarians and hooftrimmers, and by direct measurements at the farms. Odds of having a higher proportion (> 5%) of cows affected were about 20 times greater in dairy farms with muddier corrals than in drier dairy farms. Buying replacement heifers was associated with a 4.7-fold increase in the odds of higher PDD prevalence, compared to dairy farms that did not buy heifers. In addition, a positive association was found between risk and number of heifers purchased. Spatial analysis (used to examine distribution patterns of the study dairy farms) showed no evidence of clustering among case or control dairy farms. There was no association between case dairy farms and proximity to the major local river.

Spirochetes isolated from dairy cattle with papillomatous digital dermatitis and interdigital dermatitis

Two groups of spirochetes were isolated from papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) lesions in dairy cattle. The two groups could be readily differentiated on the basis of morphologic and immunologic characteristics and enzymatic activity. A spirochete isolated from an interdigital dermatitis (IDD) lesion appeared morphologically and antigenically similar to spirochetes in one of the PDD groups and exhibited an identical enzyme activity pattern. The two groups of PDD spirochetes had characteristics most consistent with the genus Treponema. The PDD and IDD isolates differed morphologically from previously described bovine Treponema spp. Although spirochetes have been observed to be one of the predominant bacterial morphotypes in PDD and IDD and are found invading the stratum spinosum and dermal papillae in PDD lesions, the significance of these spirochetes in the etiopathogenesis of PDD and IDD is presently unknown.

Evaluation of Four Therapies of Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis in Dairy Cattle

One hundred and forty-seven Holstein cows in three Central California dairy herds, housed in open corrals with shades, with active Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis (hairy footwart) lesions were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups.