2026-02-02 ワシントン州立大学(WSU)
New research from WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that multiple bacteria, rather than a single pathogen, is driving elk hoof disease among Northwestern herds (photo by Rob Smith).
<関連情報>
- https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2026/02/02/multiple-bacteria-may-be-behind-elk-hoof-disease/
- https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.00888-25
野生ヘラジカ(Cervus canadensis)におけるトレポネーマ関連蹄疾患の細菌群集解析:地理的一貫性を伴う多細菌性病因の証拠 Bacterial community analysis of treponeme-associated hoof disease in free-ranging elk (Cervus canadensis): evidence for a polybacterial etiology with geographic consistency
Elizabeth W. Goldsmith, Kyle R. Taylor, Margaret A. Wild, Sushanta Deb, Tarah Sullivan, Eric Lofgren, Kyle R. Garrison,… , Devendra H. Shah,
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Published:3 October 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00888-25
ABSTRACT
Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) is an emerging infectious disease in free-ranging elk (Cervus canadensis) characterized by ulcerative and necrosuppurative pododermatitis with spirochete bacteria that leads to lameness and apparent increased mortality. While TAHD is hypothesized to have a polybacterial etiology, the causative agents remain poorly characterized, particularly across its geographic range. In this study, we developed a histologic categorization system for hoof lesions and employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial communities in samples from 129 free-ranging elk across regions with endemic or sporadic TAHD and where TAHD remains undetected. Differential abundance analysis revealed strong associations between TAHD-positive lesions and the bacterial genera Treponema, unidentified Spirochaetaceae, Mycoplasma, and Fusobacterium, along with their respective families and amplicon sequence variants. Many of these TAHD-associated operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were also more frequently detected at increased abundance in more severe, histologic lesions of pododermatitis. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong positive association between Treponema and Mycoplasma in TAHD lesions, suggesting a more significant role of Mycoplasma in TAHD’s etiology than previously recognized. Additionally, we identified novel TAHD-associated OTUs, including Corynebacterium freneyi-xerosis, that warrant further investigation. Comparative analysis of TAHD-positive lesions from endemic and sporadic areas revealed minimal differences in the microbial community. These findings advance our understanding of the bacterial contributors to TAHD, highlighting putative pathogens for further investigation and as potential targets for diagnostic development.
