BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Chitosan is a highly effective in vitro antibacterial agent against the strains of bacteria causing footrot, but is not effective in treating stage-four footrot on farm.

摘要

Footrot affects sheep, deer, cattle and goats. It is caused by a mixed bacterial infection of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus. Footrot is highly contagious and spreads rapidly in warm and moist conditions. Virulent footrot resultsin the destruction of hoof tissue resulting in reduced animal weight, fertility and wool production. If untreated, footrot can lead to a slow and painful death (Kennan et al. 2011). Nationally, footrot is estimated to cost $80-100M pa in lost production(Greer, 2005; Hickford et al. 2005).