title: Seroprevalence of various infectious agents in dogs with suspected acute canine polyradiculoneuritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute canine polyradiculoneuritis (ACP) is considered to be an animal model of the acute axonal form of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in humans. Various antecedent events have been associated with GBS, including bacterial or viral infection. The relationship between ACP and previous infection requires additional attention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized a relationship between ACP and serological evidence of exposure to Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, Campylobacter jejuni, and canine distemper virus (CDV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight client-owned dogs, 44 with ACP, 44 age-matched controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study with stored serum samples. Serum antibodies against the target organisms were measured with commercially available assays. Sera from dogs with and without ACP that were positive for T. gondii IgG by ELISA were assayed by an IgG heavy chain-specific, Western blot immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dogs with ACP (55.8%) were more likely to have T. gondii IgG serum antibody titers than dogs without ACP (11.4%). Serum antibodies from 8 affected dogs and 11 control dogs bound to T. gondii antigens with apparent molecular masses of 67, 61, 58, 45, 33, 24, 9, and 6 kDa. An antigen with an apparent molecular mass of 36 kDa was recognized by 2 dogs with ACP but none of the control dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study suggest that ACP in some dogs, like GBS in some humans, may be triggered by T. gondii and a prospective study should be performed to further evaluate this potential association.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Neurology Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. natalee.holt@tufts.edu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cuddon
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lappin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018688:Neospora / Q000276:immunology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000914:Antibodies, Viral