The Bovine Foot Skin Microbiota is Associated with Host Genotype and the Development of Infectious Digital Dermatitis Lesions

Abstract Bovine Digital Dermatitis (BDD) is a prevalent infectious disease, causing painful foot skin lesions and lameness in cattle. The polymicrobial nature of this disease has led to the hypothesis that the foot skin microbiota may be associated with occurrence and progression of lesions. We describe herein the bovine foot skin microbiota using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing on samples from 259 dairy cows from three UK dairy farms. We show differences in the foot skin microbiome profiles of clinically healthy animals that were associated with subsequent development of BDD. We also present the first co-occurrence analysis of the bovine foot skin microbiome showing ecological relationships among bacterial species. Taxonomical and functional differences together with alterations in ecological interactions between bacteria in the normal foot skin microbiome may predispose an animal to develop BDD lesions. Using genome-wide association and regional heritability mapping approaches, we provide first evidence for interactions between host genotype and the foot skin microbiota profiles. We show the existence of genetic variation in the relative abundance of Treponema spp. and Peptoclostridium spp. and identify regions in the bovine genome that explain a significant proportion of this variation.

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Effects of Full Replacement of Dietary Fishmeal with Insect Meal from Tenebrio Molitor on Rainbow Trout Gut and Skin Microbiota.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-77037/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Genciana Terova ◽

Elisabetta Gini ◽

Laura Gasco ◽

Federico Moroni ◽

Micaela Antonini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rainbow Trout ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

Fish Growth ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Farmed Fish ◽

Skin Mucus ◽

Gut Mucosa

Abstract Background: Aquaculture must continue to reduce dependence on fishmeal (FM) and oil in feeds to ensure sustainable sector growth. Therefore, the use of novel aquaculture feed ingredients is growing. In this regard, insects can represent a new world of sustainable and protein-rich ingredients for farmed fish feeds. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of full replacement of FM with Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal in the diet of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on fish growth performance and gut and skin microbiota. Methods: A feeding trial was conducted with trout of about 80 g mean initial weight that were fed for 22 weeks with two isonitrogenous, isolipidic, and isoenergetic extruded experimental diets. Partially defatted TM meal was included in the diets to replace 0% (TM 0) and 100% (TM 100) of FM. To analyse the microbial communities, the Illumina MiSeq platform for sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and Qiime pipeline were used to identify bacteria in the gut and skin mucosa, and in the diets. Results: The data showed no major effects of full FM substitution with TM meal on bacterial species richness and diversity in both, gut mucosa- and skin mucus-associated microbiome. Skin microbiome was dominated by phylum Proteobacteria and especially by Gammaproteobacteria class that constituted approximately half of the bacterial taxa found. The two dietary fish groups did not display distinctive features, except for a decrease in the relative abundance of Deefgea genus (family Neisseriaceae) in trout fed with insect meal. The metagenomic analysis of the gut mucosa indicated that Tenericutes was the most abundant phylum, regardless of the diet. Specifically, within this phylum, the Mollicutes, mainly represented by Mycoplasmataceae family, were the dominant class. However, we observed only a weak dietary modulation of intestinal bacterial communities. The only changes due to full FM replacement with TM meal were a decreased number of Proteobacteria and a reduced number of taxa assigned to Ruminococcaceae and Neisseriaceae families. Conclusions: the data demonstrated that TM larvae meal is a valid alternative animal protein to replace FM in the aquafeeds. Only slight gut and skin microbiota changes occurred in rainbow trout after total FM replacement with insect meal. The mapping of the trout skin microbiota represents a novel contribution of the present study. Indeed, in contrast to the increasing knowledge on gut microbiota, the skin microbiota of major farmed fish species remains largely unmapped but it deserves thorough consideration.

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Effects of full replacement of dietary fishmeal with insect meal from Tenebrio molitor on rainbow trout gut and skin microbiota

Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology ◽

10.1186/s40104-021-00551-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Genciana Terova ◽

Elisabetta Gini ◽

Laura Gasco ◽

Federico Moroni ◽

Micaela Antonini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rainbow Trout ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Illumina Miseq ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Farmed Fish ◽

Skin Mucus ◽

Gut Mucosa

Abstract Background Aquaculture must continue to reduce dependence on fishmeal (FM) and fishoil in feeds to ensure sustainable sector growth. Therefore, the use of novel aquaculture feed ingredients is growing. In this regard, insects can represent a new world of sustainable and protein-rich ingredients for farmed fish feeds. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of full replacement of FM with Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal in the diet of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on fish gut and skin microbiota. Methods A feeding trial was conducted with 126 trout of about 80 g mean initial weight that were fed for 22 weeks with two isonitrogenous, isolipidic, and isoenergetic extruded experimental diets. Partially defatted TM meal was included in one of the diets to replace 100% (TM 100) of FM, whereas the other diet (TM 0) was without TM. To analyse the microbial communities, the Illumina MiSeq platform for sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and Qiime pipeline were used to identify bacteria in the gut and skin mucosa, and in the diets. Results The data showed no major effects of full FM substitution with TM meal on bacterial species richness and diversity in both, gut mucosa- and skin mucus-associated microbiome. Skin microbiome was dominated by phylum Proteobacteria and especially by Gammaproteobacteria class that constituted approximately half of the bacterial taxa found. The two dietary fish groups did not display distinctive features, except for a decrease in the relative abundance of Deefgea genus (family Neisseriaceae) in trout fed with insect meal. The metagenomic analysis of the gut mucosa indicated that Tenericutes was the most abundant phylum, regardless of the diet. Specifically, within this phylum, the Mollicutes, mainly represented by Mycoplasmataceae family, were the dominant class. However, we observed only a weak dietary modulation of intestinal bacterial communities. The only changes due to full FM replacement with TM meal were a decreased number of Proteobacteria and a reduced number of taxa assigned to Ruminococcaceae and Neisseriaceae families. Conclusions The data demonstrated that TM larvae meal is a valid alternative animal protein to replace FM in the aquafeeds. Only slight gut and skin microbiota changes occurred in rainbow trout after total FM replacement with insect meal. The mapping of the trout skin microbiota represents a novel contribution of the present study. Indeed, in contrast to the increasing knowledge on gut microbiota, the skin microbiota of major farmed fish species remains largely unmapped but it deserves thorough consideration.

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A Combined Analysis of Gut and Skin Microbiota in Infants with Food Allergy and Atopic Dermatitis: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051682 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1682

Author(s):

Ewa Łoś-Rycharska ◽

Marcin Gołębiewski ◽

Marcin Sikora ◽

Tomasz Grzybowski ◽

Marta Gorzkiewicz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atopic Dermatitis ◽

Food Allergy ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Fecal Samples ◽

Healthy Infants ◽

Α Diversity

The gut microbiota in patients with food allergy, and the skin microbiota in atopic dermatitis patients differ from those of healthy people. We hypothesize that relationships may exist between gut and skin microbiota in patients with allergies. The aim of this study was to determine the possible relationship between gut and skin microbiota in patients with allergies, hence simultaneous analysis of the two compartments of microbiota was performed in infants with and without allergic symptoms. Fifty-nine infants with food allergy and/or atopic dermatitis and 28 healthy children were enrolled in the study. The skin and gut microbiota were evaluated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. No significant differences in the α-diversity of dermal or fecal microbiota were observed between allergic and non-allergic infants; however, a significant relationship was found between bacterial community structure and allergy phenotypes, especially in the fecal samples. Certain clinical conditions were associated with characteristic bacterial taxa in the skin and gut microbiota. Positive correlations were found between skin and fecal samples in the abundance of Gemella among allergic infants, and Lactobacillus and Bacteroides among healthy infants. Although infants with allergies and healthy infants demonstrate microbiota with similar α-diversity, some differences in β-diversity and bacterial species abundance can be seen, which may depend on the phenotype of the allergy. For some organisms, their abundance in skin and feces samples may be correlated, and these correlations might serve as indicators of the host’s allergic state.

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Rhodomyrtus tomentosa Fruit Extract and Skin Microbiota: A Focus on C. acnes Phylotypes in Acne Subjects

Cosmetics ◽

10.3390/cosmetics7030053 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sandie Gervason ◽

Isabelle Metton ◽

Elodie Gemrot ◽

Edwige Ranouille ◽

Gilbert Skorski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Ingredient ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Cutibacterium Acnes ◽

Culture Independent ◽

Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Abundant Genus ◽

Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa

Knowing that Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is known to have antibacterial effects, this study investigated the skin microbiota with a focus on Cutibacterium acnes (C. acnes) phylotypes in subjects with acne, and determined microbiota changes after 28 days of treatment with berries Rhodomyrtus tomentosa as an active ingredient (RT). Skin swabs from seventeen acne subjects were collected and the skin microbiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A culture-independent next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based SLST (single-locus sequence typing) approach was aimed at evaluating RT extract effects on C. acnes phylotype repartition. Clinical evaluations (lesion counts) were performed at baseline (D0) and after 28 days (D28) of twice-daily application of the RT active ingredient. We determined: (1) the skin microbiota at D0 was dominated by Actinobacteria followed by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria; (2) at the genus level, Cutibacterium was the most abundant genus followed by Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium; (3) C. acnes was the major species in terms of mean abundance, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) and Staphylococcus hominis (S. hominis); and (4) phylotype IA1 was most represented, with a predominance of SLST type A1, followed by phylotypes II, IB, IA2, IC, and III. After 28 days of RT extract treatment, phylotype repartition were modified with a decrease in abundance (approximately 4%) of phylotype IA1 and an increase in phylotype II and III. Cutibacterium granulosum (C. granulosum) abundance also decreased. Reduction of retentional and inflammatory lesions was also noted only after RT treatment; thus, RT extract acts as a microbiota-regulating agent.

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Features of the Skin Microbiota in Common Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Life ◽

10.3390/life11090962 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 962

Author(s):

Iva Ferček ◽

Liborija Lugović-Mihić ◽

Arjana Tambić-Andrašević ◽

Diana Ćesić ◽

Ana Gverić Grginić ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skin Diseases ◽

Seborrheic Dermatitis ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Bacterial Strains ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Inflammatory Skin Diseases ◽

Bacterial Microbiome ◽

Inflammatory Skin

Many relatively common chronic inflammatory skin diseases manifest on the face (seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, acne, perioral/periorificial dermatitis, periocular dermatitis, etc.), thereby significantly impairing patient appearance and quality of life. Given the yet unexplained pathogenesis and numerous factors involved, these diseases often present therapeutic challenges. The term “microbiome” comprises the totality of microorganisms (microbiota), their genomes, and environmental factors in a particular environment. Changes in human skin microbiota composition and/or functionality are believed to trigger immune dysregulation, and consequently an inflammatory response, thereby playing a potentially significant role in the clinical manifestations and treatment of these diseases. Although cultivation methods have traditionally been used in studies of bacterial microbiome species, a large number of bacterial strains cannot be grown in the laboratory. Since standard culture-dependent methods detect fewer than 1% of all bacterial species, a metagenomic approach could be used to detect bacteria that cannot be cultivated. The skin microbiome exhibits spatial distribution associated with the microenvironment (sebaceous, moist, and dry areas). However, although disturbance of the skin microbiome can lead to a number of pathological conditions and diseases, it is still not clear whether skin diseases result from change in the microbiome or cause such a change. Thus far, the skin microbiome has been studied in atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea. Studies on the possible association between changes in the microbiome and their association with skin diseases have improved the understanding of disease development, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The identification of the bacterial markers associated with particular inflammatory skin diseases would significantly accelerate the diagnostics and reduce treatment costs. Microbiota research and determination could facilitate the identification of potential causes of skin diseases that cannot be detected by simpler methods, thereby contributing to the design and development of more effective therapies.

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Sensitive Identification of Bacterial DNA in Clinical Specimens by Broad-Range 16S rRNA Gene Enrichment

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.01605-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (12) ◽

Author(s):

Sara Rassoulian Barrett ◽

Noah G. Hoffman ◽

Christopher Rosenthal ◽

Andrew Bryan ◽

Desiree A. Marshall ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

16S Rrna Gene ◽

Nucleic Acids ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

False Negative ◽

Case Series ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Metagenomic Sequencing ◽

Bacterial Dna ◽

Clinical Specimens

ABSTRACT The broad-range detection and identification of bacterial DNA from clinical specimens are a foundational approach in the practice of molecular microbiology. However, there are circumstances under which conventional testing may yield false-negative or otherwise uninterpretable results, including the presence of multiple bacterial templates or degraded nucleic acids. Here, we describe an alternative, next-generation sequencing approach for the broad range detection of bacterial DNA using broad-range 16S rRNA gene hybrid capture (“16S Capture”). The method is able to deconvolute multiple bacterial species present in a specimen, is compatible with highly fragmented templates, and can be readily implemented when the overwhelming majority of nucleic acids in a specimen derive from the human host. We find that this approach is sensitive to detecting as few as 17 Staphylococcus aureus genomes from a background of 100 ng of human DNA, providing 19- to 189-fold greater sensitivity for identifying bacterial sequences than standard shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and is able to successfully recover organisms from across the eubacterial tree of life. Application of 16S Capture to a proof-of-principle case series demonstrated its ability to identify bacterial species that were consistent with histological evidence of infection, even when diagnosis could not be established using conventional broad range bacterial detection assays. 16S Capture provides a novel means for the efficient and sensitive detection of bacteria embedded in human tissues and for specimens containing highly fragmented template DNA.

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Deep Investigating the Changes of Gut Microbiome and Its Correlation With the Shifts of Host Serum Metabolome Around Parturition in Sows

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.729039 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Hao Fu ◽

Maozhang He ◽

Jinyuan Wu ◽

Yunyan Zhou ◽

Shanlin Ke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

16S Rrna Gene ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Late Pregnancy ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Metagenomic Sequencing ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Functional Capacities

Parturition is a crucial event in the sow reproduction cycle, which accompanies by a series of physiological changes, including sex hormones, metabolism, and immunity. More and more studies have indicated the changes of the gut microbiota from pregnancy to parturition. However, what bacterial species and functional capacities of the gut microbiome are changed around parturition has been largely unknown, and the correlations between the changes of gut bacterial species and host metabolome were also uncovered. In this study, by combining 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing data, and the profiles of serum metabolome and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), we investigated the changes of gut microbiome, serum metabolite features and fecal SCFAs from late pregnancy (LP) to postpartum (PO) stage. We found the significant changes of gut microbiota from LP to PO stage in both 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing analyses. The bacterial species from Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Clostridium were enriched at the LP stage, while the species from Bacteroides, Escherichia, and Campylobacter had higher abundances at the PO stage. Functional capacities of the gut microbiome were also significantly changed and associated with the shifts of gut bacteria. Untargeted metabolomic analyses revealed that the metabolite features related to taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis and metabolism were enriched at the LP stage, and positively associated with those bacterial species enriched at the LP stage, while the metabolite features associated with vitamin B6 and glycerophospholipid metabolism had higher abundances at the PO stage and were positively correlated with the bacteria enriched at the PO stage. Six kinds of SCFAs were measured in feces samples and showed higher concentrations at the LP stage. These results suggested that the changes of gut microbiome from LP to PO stage lead to the shifts of host lipid, amino acids and vitamin metabolism and SCFA production. The results from this study provided new insights for the changes of sow gut microbiome and host metabolism around parturition, and gave new knowledge for guiding the feeding and maternal care of sows from late pregnancy to lactation in the pig industry.

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Comprehensive skin microbiome analysis reveals the uniqueness of human-associated microbial communities among the class Mammalia

10.1101/201434 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ashley A. Ross ◽

Kirsten Müller ◽

J. Scott Weese ◽

Josh D. Neufeld

Keyword(s):

Human Skin ◽

External Environment ◽

Geographic Location ◽

The Body ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Body Region ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Skin Microbiota ◽

Mammalian Skin

AbstractSkin is the largest organ of the body and represents the primary physical barrier between mammals and their external environment. The objective of this research was to generate a skin microbiota baseline for members of the class Mammalia, testing the effects of host species, geographic location, body region, and biological sex. The back, torso, and inner thigh regions of 177 non-human mammals were collected to include representatives from 38 species and 10 mammalian orders. Animals were collected from local farms, zoos, households, and the wild. All samples were amplified using the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene region and sequenced using a MiSeq (Illumina). For reference, previously published skin microbiome data from 20 human participants, sampled using an identical protocol to the non-human mammals, were included in the analysis. Human skin was significantly less diverse than all other mammalian orders and the factor most strongly associated with community variation for all samples was whether the host was a human. Within non-human samples, host taxonomic order was the most significant factor influencing the skin community, followed by the geographic location of the habitat. By comparing the congruence between known host phylogeny and microbial community dendrograms, we observed that Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) and Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) had significant congruence, providing first evidence of phylosymbiosis between skin communities and their hosts.SignificanceSkin forms a critical protective barrier between a mammal and its external environment. Baseline data on the mammalian skin microbiome is crucial for making informed decisions related to veterinary research and biodiversity conservation strategies, in addition to providing insight into mammalian evolutionary history. To our knowledge, this study represents the largest mammalian skin microbiota project to date. These findings demonstrate that human skin is distinct, not only from other Primates, but from all 10 mammalian orders sampled. Using phylosymbiosis analysis, we provide the first evidence that co-evolution may be occurring between skin communities and their mammalian hosts, which warrants more in-depth future studies of the relationships between mammals and their skin microbiota.

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Culture and molecular identification of microorganisms from Digital Dermatitis lesions in dairy cattle: Leptospira, an unexpected finding

Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/1678-4162-9365 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 559-569

Author(s):

S. Diniz ◽

S.H.C. Sandes ◽

M.R.Q. Bomfim ◽

P.C. Santos ◽

F.D. Cruz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Molecular Identification ◽

Bacterial Colonization ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Unexpected Finding ◽

Digital Dermatitis ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Gene Sequence Analysis ◽

Enterococcus Casseliflavus

ABSTRACT Bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) is an infectious and contagious disease characterized by ulcerative and proliferative lesions affecting the skin on the bulbs of the heel or the interdigital cleft in dairy cattle, often associated with lameness. Evidences on the etiology of BDD indicate that it is multifactorial, involving environmental factors and multiple bacterial colonization. We isolated and identified microorganisms from BDD biopsy samples obtained from five Holstein Friesian and two Jersey cows by cultivation and molecular identification of bacterial isolates using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. We identified six bacterial species: Spirochetes as Treponema pedis and Leptospira broomi/L. fainei, L. licerasiae/L. wolffii; Corynebacterium appendicis, Cupriavidus gilardii and Enterococcus casseliflavus/E. gallinarum. It was quite surprising to have isolated and identified Leptospira species in three out of seven cultures, from different individual cows and two different farms. The species identified belong to the intermediate pathogenic clade, which is a group found to cause human and animal disease. Our findings indicate the need to further investigate the association of Leptospira of intermediate pathogenicity with BDD lesions and whether its presence would have any veterinary and medical significance both in Leptospirosis and with the pathogenesis of BDD lesions, especially in tropical countries

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Multilocus Sequence Typing of Pathogenic Treponemes Isolated from Cloven-Hoofed Animals and Comparison to Treponemes Isolated from Humans

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.00025-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 82 (15) ◽

pp. 4523-4536 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Simon R. Clegg ◽

Stuart D. Carter ◽

Richard J. Birtles ◽

Jennifer M. Brown ◽

C. Anthony Hart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Range ◽

Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Geographic Origin ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Digital Dermatitis ◽

Content Type ◽

Geographic Regions

ABSTRACTTreponemaspecies are implicated in many diseases of humans and animals. Digital dermatitis (DD) treponemes are reported to cause severe lesions in cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and wild elk, causing substantial global animal welfare issues and economic losses. The fastidiousness of these spirochetes has previously precluded studies investigating within-phylogroup genetic diversity. An archive of treponemes that we isolated enabled multilocus sequence typing to quantify the diversity and population structure of DD treponemes. Isolates (n= 121) were obtained from different animal hosts in nine countries on three continents. The analyses herein of currently isolated DD treponemes at seven housekeeping gene loci confirm the classification of the three previously designated phylogroups: theTreponema medium,Treponema phagedenis, andTreponema pedisphylogroups. Sequence analysis of seven DD treponeme housekeeping genes revealed a generally low level of diversity among the strains within each phylogroup, removing the need for the previously used “-like” suffix. Surprisingly, all isolates within each phylogroup clustered together, regardless of host or geographic origin, suggesting that the same sequence types (STs) can infect different animals. Some STs were derived from multiple animals from the same farm, highlighting probable within-farm transmissions. Several STs infected multiple hosts from similar geographic regions, identifying probable frequent between-host transmissions. Interestingly,T. pedisappears to be evolving more quickly than theT. mediumorT. phagedenisDD treponeme phylogroup, by forming two unique ST complexes. The lack of phylogenetic discrimination between treponemes isolated from different hosts or geographic regions substantially contrasts with the data for other clinically relevant spirochetes.IMPORTANCEThe recent expansion of the host range of digital dermatitis (DD) treponemes from cattle to sheep, goats, pigs, and wild elk, coupled with the high level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity across hosts and with human treponemes, suggests that the same bacterial species can cause disease in multiple different hosts. This multilocus sequence typing (MLST) study further demonstrates that these bacteria isolated from different hosts are indeed very similar, raising the potential for cross-species transmission. The study also shows that infection spread occurs frequently, both locally and globally, suggesting transmission by routes other than animal-animal transmission alone. These results indicate that on-farm biosecurity is important for controlling disease spread in domesticated species. Continued surveillance and vigilance are important for ascertaining the evolution and tracking any further host range expansion of these important pathogens.

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