Short communication: Minimum bactericidal concentration of disinfectants evaluated for bovine digital dermatitis-associated Treponema phagedenis-like spirochetes

The bacterial spirochetes, Treponema spp., are thought to be a major contributor to the etiology of bovine digital dermatitis (DD), a skin disease with worldwide economic impact. Hoofbath strategies are commonly used in an attempt to control and prevent the development of DD and continuing research has been done to develop an optimal hoofbath strategy for this purpose. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol that can be used as part of the screening process for candidate hoofbath disinfectants. This protocol allows an accurate determination of the in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of a series of disinfectants for Treponema microorganisms. Assays were performed in triplicate for each of the disinfectants at 30-s and 10-min exposure times and exposed to 10 and 20% manure (vol/vol). The results of this study can be used to categorize disinfectants based on the effect of exposure and manure concentration regarding their ability to inhibit Treponema growth. This information can then aid in optimizing strategies for hoofbath-based control of DD development and spread.