Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis
Digital dermatitis is a disease of the digital skin and causes lameness and welfare problems in dairy cattle. This study assessed the local and systemic inflammatory responses of cows with different digital dermatitis lesions and compared macroscopical and histological findings. Cow feet (<i>n...
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/461 |
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| author | Hertta Pirkkalainen Aino Riihimäki Taru Lienemann Marjukka Anttila Minna Kujala-Wirth Päivi Rajala-Schultz Heli Simojoki Timo Soveri Toomas Orro |
| author_facet | Hertta Pirkkalainen Aino Riihimäki Taru Lienemann Marjukka Anttila Minna Kujala-Wirth Päivi Rajala-Schultz Heli Simojoki Timo Soveri Toomas Orro |
| author_sort | Hertta Pirkkalainen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digital dermatitis is a disease of the digital skin and causes lameness and welfare problems in dairy cattle. This study assessed the local and systemic inflammatory responses of cows with different digital dermatitis lesions and compared macroscopical and histological findings. Cow feet (<i>n</i> = 104) were evaluated macroscopically and skin biopsies histologically. Serum samples were analyzed for acute phase proteins (serum amyloid A and haptoglobin) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Cows with macroscopically graded active lesions (<i>p</i> = 0.028) and non-active lesions (<i>p</i> = 0.008) had higher interleukin-1 beta levels in their serum compared to healthy cows. Interleukin-1 beta serum concentrations were also higher (<i>p</i> = 0.042) when comparing lesions with necrosis to lesions without necrosis. There was no difference when other cytokine or acute phase protein concentrations in healthy cows were compared to those in cows with different digital dermatitis lesions. A novel histopathological grading was developed based on the chronicity of the lesions and presence of necrosis and ulceration. The presence and number of spirochetes were graded separately. In the most severe chronic lesions, there was marked epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis with necrosis, deep ulceration, and suppurative inflammation. Spirochetes were found only in samples from necrotic lesions. This study established that digital dermatitis activates proinflammatory cytokines. However, this did not initiate the release of acute phase proteins from the liver. A histopathological grading that takes into account the age and severity of the lesions and presence of spirochetes was developed to better understand the progression of the disease. It is proposed that necrosis of the skin is a result of ischemic necrosis following reduced blood flow in the dermal papillae due to pressure and shear stress caused by thickened epidermis, and that the spirochetes are secondary invaders following tissue necrosis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:02:01Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:02:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj.art-c2e8378dfbda40bb8930e4221f1c130b2024-02-09T15:06:46ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-01-0114346110.3390/ani14030461Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital DermatitisHertta Pirkkalainen0Aino Riihimäki1Taru Lienemann2Marjukka Anttila3Minna Kujala-Wirth4Päivi Rajala-Schultz5Heli Simojoki6Timo Soveri7Toomas Orro8Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandDepartment of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandAnimal Health Diagnostic Unit, Finnish Food Authority, Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandAnimal Health Diagnostic Unit, Finnish Food Authority, Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandDepartment of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandDepartment of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandDepartment of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, FinlandInstitute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Science, Kreutzwaldi 62, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaDigital dermatitis is a disease of the digital skin and causes lameness and welfare problems in dairy cattle. This study assessed the local and systemic inflammatory responses of cows with different digital dermatitis lesions and compared macroscopical and histological findings. Cow feet (<i>n</i> = 104) were evaluated macroscopically and skin biopsies histologically. Serum samples were analyzed for acute phase proteins (serum amyloid A and haptoglobin) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Cows with macroscopically graded active lesions (<i>p</i> = 0.028) and non-active lesions (<i>p</i> = 0.008) had higher interleukin-1 beta levels in their serum compared to healthy cows. Interleukin-1 beta serum concentrations were also higher (<i>p</i> = 0.042) when comparing lesions with necrosis to lesions without necrosis. There was no difference when other cytokine or acute phase protein concentrations in healthy cows were compared to those in cows with different digital dermatitis lesions. A novel histopathological grading was developed based on the chronicity of the lesions and presence of necrosis and ulceration. The presence and number of spirochetes were graded separately. In the most severe chronic lesions, there was marked epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis with necrosis, deep ulceration, and suppurative inflammation. Spirochetes were found only in samples from necrotic lesions. This study established that digital dermatitis activates proinflammatory cytokines. However, this did not initiate the release of acute phase proteins from the liver. A histopathological grading that takes into account the age and severity of the lesions and presence of spirochetes was developed to better understand the progression of the disease. It is proposed that necrosis of the skin is a result of ischemic necrosis following reduced blood flow in the dermal papillae due to pressure and shear stress caused by thickened epidermis, and that the spirochetes are secondary invaders following tissue necrosis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/461digital dermatitisdairy cowacute phase proteincytokinehistopathology |
| spellingShingle | Hertta Pirkkalainen Aino Riihimäki Taru Lienemann Marjukka Anttila Minna Kujala-Wirth Päivi Rajala-Schultz Heli Simojoki Timo Soveri Toomas Orro Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis Animals digital dermatitis dairy cow acute phase protein cytokine histopathology |
| title | Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis |
| title_full | Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis |
| title_fullStr | Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis |
| title_short | Local and Systemic Inflammation in Finnish Dairy Cows with Digital Dermatitis |
| title_sort | local and systemic inflammation in finnish dairy cows with digital dermatitis |
| topic | digital dermatitis dairy cow acute phase protein cytokine histopathology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/3/461 |
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