Bacterial community analysis of treponeme-associated hoof disease in free-ranging elk (<i>Cervus canadensis</i>): evidence for a polybacterial etiology with geographic consistency.

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 th

SUBMITTER: Goldsmith EW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12628766 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature