Cerebrospinal fluid PCR and antibody concentrations against Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in dogs with neurological signs.
BACKGROUND
The tick-borne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum have been suspected to cause neurological signs in dogs. Diagnosis often has been made based on positive antibody titers in serum of dogs with neurological signs, but a high seroprevalence in dogs in at-risk populations makes diagnosis difficult.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if the neurological signs in dogs examined were caused by any of these bacteria.


METHODS
Fifty-four dogs presented to a board-certified neurologist.


METHODS
Prospective study. We divided dogs into 2 groups: those with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) and those with neurological signs from other diseases. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from all dogs were analyzed.


RESULTS
Dogs with inflammatory CNS diseases showed no serum antibodies against any of the agents. Among dogs with neurological signs from other diseases, 10.3% had serum antibodies for B. burgdorferi sl and 20.5% for A. phagocytophilum. All blood samples analyzed for bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and all CSF analyzed for antibodies and bacterial DNA for the 2 agents were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this study, these bacteria are unlikely causes of neurologic disease in dogs and the presence of serum antibodies alone does not document or establish a definitive diagnosis of CNS disease caused by these organisms. Dogs that have neurologic disease and corresponding serum antibodies against these agents should have additional tests performed to assess for other potential etiologies of the signs.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. karin.hultin-jaderlund@kv.slu.se
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Jäderlund
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Bergström
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Egenvall
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Hedhammar
D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial