Efficacy and application of a novel topical anaesthetic wound formulation for treating cattle with Foot-and-Mouth disease: a field trial in Cameroon

Abstract

Recently, a wound dressing formulation, (Tri-Solfen®, Medical Ethics Pty Ltd, Australia; TS) registered for use in ruminant husbandry in Australia, was registered for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) therapy in large ruminants in Laos, following clinical observations of improved welfare and healing following treatment of FMD lesions. In November 2019, an FMD outbreak in Cameroon provided an opportunity for a field trial, comparing clinical responses and recoveries to treatments on a sample of cattle (n = 36) comprising three equal groups of animals (n = 12), comparing responses to three treatments:(i) the application to lesions of TS, (ii) the administration of parenteral oxytetraycline commonly used for FMD in Cameroon; and (iii) an untreated control group (C). Appetite scores, lesion healing scores, and changes in dimensions of lesions, were recorded over a 15-day study period. Cattle treated with TS achieved both superior appetite and lesion healing scores with more rapid reduction in dimensions of lesions than other groups. Farmer observations indicated the TS treatment group had a more rapid return to eating with cessation of excessive salivation, and more rapid return of mobility (walking) with absence of overt lameness. The findings indicate that although mortality is usually low in FMD outbreaks, the disease is a debilitating and painful disorder with negative animal welfare impacts that should be addressed. All farmers expressed their desire that the product be made available for use in their region and modelling indicates that TS therapy imposes no additional financial burden on farmers, with the treatment likely to be provided at a similar or reduced cost to current treatment choices. As use of antibiotics for treatment of a viral disease potentially increases pressures for development of antimicrobial resistance and residues in the food chain, TS as an alternative non-antimicrobial therapy should be promoted for wider use in FMD outbreaks.

Effectiveness and profitability of preventive veterinary interventions in controlling infectious diseases of ruminant livestock in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

“…The comparison of the efficacy of Tri-Solfen and antimicrobial treatment (parenteral oxytetracycline) against FMD lesion healing under controlled conditions in a trial showed a 100% protective rate of both treatments towards clinical recovery, but with a more rapid healing observed for the new formulation compared to the parenteral oxytetracycline group [59].…”

Foot-and-mouth disease in Cameroon: A systematic review to support its progressive control

“…From the results of the first clinical trial of TS in Cameroon, farmer observations indicated that the TS treatment group had a more rapid return to eating with cessation of excessive salivation, and more rapid return of mobility (walking) with the absence of overt lameness compared to the commonly used antibiotic Moore-Oxy® (MO) (oxytetracycline HCL 5%, Hebei Kexing Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shijiazhuang City, China) and the non-treated control group [18] . 100% of farmers expressed their desire that the product is made available for use in their region and cost-effective modelling indicated that TS therapy only costs 2.5 USD, imposes no additional financial burden on farmers, with the treatment likely to be provided at a similar or reduced cost to current treatment choices.…”

“…The risk-based control approach using the global progressive control pathway for FMD control (PCP-FMD) is the target for Cameroon as it is currently in the PCP-FMD stage one [7] . FMD transmission risk sources such as communal grazing, mobile livestock especially cattle, the role of carrier animals, role of fomites (a fomite is any material or object that can harbour an infectious disease and probably contaminate the environment and hosts), husbandry system, high livestock density, and the environment around herds, abattoirs and cattle markets have been examined and identified to be potential transmission areas to target for its mitigation [14][15][16][17][18] . The control of FMD in Cameroon is a major concern as no vaccination programs are ongoing and its management is mostly conducted by farmers themselves using veterinary pharmaceuticals mostly purchased from black markets and only a few of them buy from recognised pharmacies [17] .…”

“…The field trial of the trivalent FMD vaccine (O, A, SAT 2) reduced clinical FMD but did not stop persistent infections [5] . The field trial of TS, a topical formulation improved the overall demeanor of animals, hastened recovery time, wound healing time and quick return to pasture compared to animals treated with antibiotics and non-treated counterparts [18] . The management of the disease with antibiotics could have public health consequences such as the risk of the development of antibiotic resistance [19] .…”