Epidemiological studies into the role of serogroup-specific vaccines to control footrot in sheep
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Sch of Biosciences
Abstract
Current recommendations for the control of footrot in sheep include vaccination.
Footrot is caused by the Gram-negative anaerobe Dichelobacter nodosus which is classified into ten serogroups; A-I and M based on genetic variation in the fimbriae gene which provides motility and adhesion. There is one commercially available and licensed vaccine for footrot in the UK, Footvax, containing nine serogroups. Antigenic competition means that as the number of vaccine serogroups increases, the efficacy of the vaccine reduces. Published peer-reviewed scientific literature has provided evidence that using fewer serogroups of D. nodosus results in longer lasting protection and less clinical disease in comparison to the commercial vaccine.
In Australia, a recently adopted strategy is for farms wishing to vaccinate to submit foot swab samples for determination of the footrot serogroups present in their flock. Once established, vaccine is provided containing a single serogroup found in that flock. Up to two serogroup vaccines are used concurrently.
The aim of the project is to establish if targeted serogroup vaccination is more efficacious than the commercially available vaccine in reducing footrot prevalence in English flocks. A more effective vaccination strategy would lead to reduced reliance on antibiotics for the treatment of footrot, and a positive outcome for sheep welfare and farm profitability.
Within flock trials will be designed and conducted to investigate the efficacy of serogroup specific vaccination in flocks with two or more serogroups. Swab samples will be used to analyse changes in D.nodosus load and serogroup following vaccination with serogroup specific and commercial footrot vaccine. The impact of vaccination on flock lameness prevalence, productivity, antibiotic use and subsequent profitability will be analysed. The potential reduction in antibiotic use at a national level will be estimated.
Footrot is caused by the Gram-negative anaerobe Dichelobacter nodosus which is classified into ten serogroups; A-I and M based on genetic variation in the fimbriae gene which provides motility and adhesion. There is one commercially available and licensed vaccine for footrot in the UK, Footvax, containing nine serogroups. Antigenic competition means that as the number of vaccine serogroups increases, the efficacy of the vaccine reduces. Published peer-reviewed scientific literature has provided evidence that using fewer serogroups of D. nodosus results in longer lasting protection and less clinical disease in comparison to the commercial vaccine.
In Australia, a recently adopted strategy is for farms wishing to vaccinate to submit foot swab samples for determination of the footrot serogroups present in their flock. Once established, vaccine is provided containing a single serogroup found in that flock. Up to two serogroup vaccines are used concurrently.
The aim of the project is to establish if targeted serogroup vaccination is more efficacious than the commercially available vaccine in reducing footrot prevalence in English flocks. A more effective vaccination strategy would lead to reduced reliance on antibiotics for the treatment of footrot, and a positive outcome for sheep welfare and farm profitability.
Within flock trials will be designed and conducted to investigate the efficacy of serogroup specific vaccination in flocks with two or more serogroups. Swab samples will be used to analyse changes in D.nodosus load and serogroup following vaccination with serogroup specific and commercial footrot vaccine. The impact of vaccination on flock lameness prevalence, productivity, antibiotic use and subsequent profitability will be analysed. The potential reduction in antibiotic use at a national level will be estimated.
People |
ORCID iD |
Laura Green (Primary Supervisor) | |
Elizabeth Nabb (Student) |
Publications
Nabb E
(2023)
O-124 Impact of bivalent and multivalent footrot vaccines on antibiotic usage for lameness in breeding ewes
in Animal - science proceedings
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M01116X/1 | 30/09/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
2098549 | Studentship | BB/M01116X/1 | 30/09/2018 | 29/09/2022 | Elizabeth Nabb |
Description | Farm Animal clinical club (Bideford) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Hybrid meeting for a local vet practice where I discussed sheep lameness in general and the results of my research project. Prompted lots of discussion and questions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Bodmin) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Talk delivered to farm clients for a veterinary practice. General overview of sheep lameness and the results of my research project and how it is relevant to them. Approximately 30 minutes of Q & A after the talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Clitheroe) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 12 vets and farmers attended a talk to share the outcomes of my PhD project and how this fits into the context of control of lameness in sheep in general |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Huddisfield) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 68 vets and farmers attended a talk to share the outcomes of my PhD project and how this fits into the context of control of lameness in sheep in general |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Ludlow) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Sheep focus group with 10 members plus host - invited to share and discuss the findings of my PhD project |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Macclesfield) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 18 vets and farmers attended a talk to share the outcomes of my PhD project and how this fits into the context of control of lameness in sheep in general |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange meeting for sheep farmers (Skipton) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 45 vets and farmers attended a talk to share the outcomes of my PhD project and how this fits into the context of control of lameness in sheep in general |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Knowledge exchange webinar covering the findings of my PhD project |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Webinar for sheep farmers and other in the sheep industry to share results and findings of PhD project. 55 live attendees, over 100 registered and 216 views on youtube to date. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | London Vet Show invited speaker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I gave a talk to around 40 delegates at London Vet Show on lameness in sheep in general incorporating the results of my research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Online lameness forum for sheep farmers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Around 120 farmers and some of their vets from farm practices in the XLvet community registered for this online forum to discuss lameness in sheep and allow the forum panel, myself included, to answer their questions. Some questions were collected in advance and were used to structure the discussion, others were answered live during the event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Update for work colleagues and the wider vet surveillance network |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A 75 minute talk delivered online for colleagues in similar roles in England/Wales/Scotland. Mainly to refresh their knowledge of sheep lameness, incorporated the results of my research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Webinar on Infectious lameness for Western Counties Veterinary Association |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A presentation for veterinarians working in the livestock sector that reviewed current evidence of control of infectious lameness in sheep and suggested ways to engage farm clients to implement changes in their flocks. The purpose was not only to encourage good, evidence based practice by vets and their farm clients, therefore improving sheep welfare, but also to maintain the channel of communication between researcher and those applying lameness control measures. An invitation for a follow up meeting to discuss the outcomes of this project was offered. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |