Borrelia burgdorferi infection in UK horses.
Antibody levels (IgG and IgM) to Borrelia burgdorferi were measured in the sera and synovial fluids of UK horses. Western blotting against B. burgdorferi was also used on samples from seropositive horses. A low incidence of seropositivity was shown in horses from most parts of the UK. This increased in areas that have a high incidence of human and canine borreliosis (Norfolk and south coast). Leptospira infections of horses did not cause cross reactions in the B. burgdorferi ELISA. Most horses did not display clinical signs of Lyme disease. As with dogs and man, it is apparent that B. burgdorferi infection occurs in horses in the UK but clinical Lyme disease is uncommon.
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Animal Husbandry University of Liverpool, UK.
S D
SD
Carter
C
C
May
A
A
Barnes
D
D
Bennett
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015994:Incidence; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013045:Species Specificity; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M