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.