Study of the relationship between Mortellaro disease in dairy cows and concomitant diseases (endometritis, mastitis)

Mortellaro's disease, or interdigital dermatitis, is a disorder of cattle characterized by hyperplastic tissue growth in the distal extremities. The pathogenesis of this disorder is believed to be mediated by the penetration of infectious microflora, namely T. phagedenis , T. medium , and T. pedis , into damaged hoof tissue. Other pathogens identified include Treponema phagedenis , Treponema pedis , Porphyromonas levii , Fusobacterium sp. , Bacteroides pyogenes , and Fusobacterium necrophorum . The impact of this pathological process on the reproductive system remains unclear. The relationship between hoof inflammation and the reproductive system may arise through cascading biochemical and physiological reactions that lead to significant structural and functional changes. In this study, mastitis and endometritis were diagnosed in 14 of 27 cows with Mortellaro disease, representing a prevalence of 51.85%. Of this group of 27 animals, 7.41% (2 cows) had mastitis, 22.22% (6 cows) had endometritis, and 22.22% (6 cows) were diagnosed with both endometritis and mastitis. The odds ratio was used to determine the association between diagnosed Mortellaro disease and the occurrence of mastitis and endometritis in animals. The odds ratio was found to be 11.43, indicating that in dairy cows with Mortellaro disease, when both pelvic limbs are affected, the likelihood of simultaneous mastitis and endometritis significantly increases compared to cases where only one limb is affected. To effectively treat and prevent interdigital dermatitis in dairy cows, a more thorough study of the entire pathogenesis of the disease is necessary, taking into account the genetic, biochemical, and anatomical and physiological characteristics of the animal. Therefore, studying the relationship between Mortellaro disease and other common bovine pathologies, such as endometritis and mastitis, is a pressing issue in modern veterinary medicine, as these pathologies directly impact farm profitability and characterize the results of zootechnical and veterinary work.