title: First isolation of the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia hermsii, from a domestic dog.
abstract: In North America, tick-borne relapsing fever of humans is most frequently caused by infection with the spirochete Borrelia hermsii. Prior to our investigation, this spirochete was not known to infect dogs although another species, Borrelia turicatae, has been isolated from domestic canids in Florida and Texas. A clinically ill dog in Washington, USA, was spirochetemic upon examination. Spirochetes were isolated from the dog's serum and examined by PCR and multi-locus sequence typing. DNA sequences for 7 loci all typed the spirochete as B. hermsii and a member of genomic group II of this species. Therefore, companion dogs that reside in rustic cabins in higher elevation forests are at risk of infection with B. hermsii.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Raffel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Kenmore Veterinary Hospital, Kenmore, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellinghausen
authors.affiliation: Phoenix Central Laboratories for Veterinarians, Mukilteo, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 South 4th Street, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. Electronic address: tschwan@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Tom G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Schwan
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001898:Borrelia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D000658:Amoxicillin; D004318:Doxycycline
keywords: Argasid ticks; Canine borreliosis; Ornithodoros hermsi; Relapsing fever; Veterinary pathogens