title: Seroprevalence against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and occurence of antibody co-expression with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs in Latvia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lyme disease is commonly diagnosed in humans in Latvia, but up to date no studies have been performed to investigate its prevalence in dogs. The aim of this study was to evaluate if seroprevalence against B. burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.) and co-expression of antibodies against B.burgdorferi s.l. and A. phagocytophilum is higher in dogs with clinical suspicion of tick-borne diseases compared to healthy dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Venous blood was taken from healthy dogs (n=441) and dogs suspected to have borreliosis and/ or canine granulocytic anaplasmosis (n=29). The presence of antibodies was detected with SNAP 4Dx test (IDEXX, Westbrook, Maine, USA). The seroprevalence against B. burgdorferi s.l. in healthy dogs was 2.49% (11/441) and 36% (4/11) of seropositive dogs had antibodies against both of investigated bacteria. None of the dogs in sick dog group had detectable antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that seroprevalence to B. burgdorferi s.l. in dogs in Latvia is low and that dogs with suspicion of tick-borne disease do not have higher B. burgdorferi s.l. seroprevalence than healthy dogs. Dogs that express antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. frequently co-express antibodies against A. phagocytophilum.
authors.affiliation: Latvia University of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Preclinical Institute, Pathology department, Kr, Helmana Street 8, Jelgava, LV-3004, Latvia. Inese.berzina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Inese
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berzina
authors.forename: Ilze
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matise