title: Antibody responses to Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface proteins C and F in experimentally infected Beagle dogs.
abstract: Antibody levels to outer surface proteins C and F (OspC and OspF, respectively) in sera collected from laboratory Beagle dogs at 1, 2, and 4 months after challenge with infected black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) were determined. Each dog was confirmed by culture to harbor Borrelia burgdorferi in the skin (n = 10) or the skin and joints (n = 14). Significant levels of immunoglobulin M (Ig)M or IgG anti-OspC antibodies were detected in single serum samples from only 3 (13%) dogs. Similarly, IgM anti-OspF antibodies were detected in only 1 (4%) serum sample collected from a dog with B. burgdorferi in the skin and joints. In contrast, 4 (29%) dogs with skin and joint infections produced IgG anti-OspF antibodies after 2 months, and the response expanded to include 2 (20%) dogs with skin infection and 4 additional dogs with skin and joint infections (overall sensitivity = 62%) after 4 months. The findings failed to support the utility of OspC-based antibody tests for diagnosing canine Lyme disease, but demonstrated that dogs with B. burgdorferi colonizing joint tissue most often produced significant levels of IgG anti-OspF antibodies. Therefore, additional studies to more thoroughly evaluate the clinical utility of OspF-based antibody tests are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI (Callister, Jobe, Lovrich)Merck Animal Health Inc., Elkhorn, NE (LaFleur, Wasmoen) smcallis@gundersenhealth.org.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Callister
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI (Callister, Jobe, Lovrich)Merck Animal Health Inc., Elkhorn, NE (LaFleur, Wasmoen).
authors.forename: Rhonda L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: LaFleur
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI (Callister, Jobe, Lovrich)Merck Animal Health Inc., Elkhorn, NE (LaFleur, Wasmoen).
authors.forename: Dean A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jobe
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI (Callister, Jobe, Lovrich)Merck Animal Health Inc., Elkhorn, NE (LaFleur, Wasmoen).
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lovrich
authors.affiliation: Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI (Callister, Jobe, Lovrich)Merck Animal Health Inc., Elkhorn, NE (LaFleur, Wasmoen).
authors.forename: Terri L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wasmoen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000276:immunology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; C079616:OspC protein; C084999:OspF protein, Borrelia burgdorferi
keywords: Borrelia; Lyme disease; canine