Molecular detection and distribution of Treponema species in a commercial dairy cattle herd in Slovakia

We analyzed the occurrence and distribution of selected Treponema species in dairy cows using 335 interdigital swabs, 335 fecal samples, and 25 surface swabs from bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) lesions. In surface swabs from BDD lesions, Treponema medium (92%), Treponema pedis (88%), and Treponema brennaborense (56%) were the most frequently detected species. Interdigital swabs from BDD-positive cows revealed the presence of T. medium in 40%, T. pedis in 12%, and T. brennaborense in 4% of samples. In the healthy group, T. medium was detected in 21.3%, T. pedis in 4.8%, and T. brennaborense in 1.3% of samples. Treponema species were also detected in fecal samples from both groups, with T. brennaborense found in 28% of BDD-positive cows and 22.3% of healthy cows, while T. pedis was present at a similar rate (8%) in both groups. In fecal samples from healthy cows, the proportion of T. brennaborense was significantly higher compared to T. medium and T. pedis (p < 0.001). Similarly, analysis of interdigital swabs showed a significantly higher occurrence of T. brennaborense compared to T. medium (p < 0.001). These findings highlight distinct distribution patterns of Treponema species across different sample types and suggest their potential relevance in the diagnosis and understanding of reservoir dynamics in BDD infections.