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

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.