Washington State University study identifies multiple bacteria causing elk hoof disease in the Pacific Northwest

Multiple bacteria, not a single pathogen, are believed to cause elk hoof disease. A Washington State University study found Treponema and Mycoplasma bacteria consistently present in diseased elk hooves, suggesting a collaborative role in the illness. The disease, first identified in the late 1990s, causes painful lesions leading to lameness and increased mortality in elk across the Pacific Northwest.