title: Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs with neurological signs.
abstract: A retrospective cohort study was carried out to evaluate whether seropositivity for the tick-transmitted bacterial species Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and/or Anaplasma phagocytophilum was associated with one or more specific categories of nervous system disorders in dogs. A total of 248 dogs with nervous system disorders were serotested for these agents and categorised into six main diagnostic categories: degenerative diseases of the spine, epilepsy, inflammatory diseases, neoplasia, peripheral neuropathies, and other diseases. Multivariable analysis using logistic regression was used to model whether a dog was diagnosed as being in any of these categories. The independent variables included were sex, age, year of serological testing, and whether the animal tested positive for B burgdorferi sensu lato and/or A phagocytophilum. In one model, a statistically significant association was found between a positive titre for A phagocytophilum and the risk of a dog developing neoplastic disease. Although statistically significant, it was concluded that the association was not of clinical relevance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, se-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jäderlund
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egenvall
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedhammar
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies