Equine Lyme borreliosis and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis Part 2-Clinical relevance (Vet survey)

Gehlen, Heidrun; Inerle, Katharina S.; Ulrich, Sebastian; Briese, Beatrice und Straubinger, Reinhard K. (2022): Equine Lyme borreliosis and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis Part 2-Clinical relevance (Vet survey). In: Pferdeheilkunde, Bd. 38, Nr. 6: S. 544-553

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of infections with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap) in horses in Germany and to identify possible associations between clinical signs and elevated specific serum antibody levels. Therefore, horses from all parts of Germany with suspicious clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis were evaluated. The veterinarians were asked to fill out a report/questionnaire. Blood samples from all participating horses were tested for specific antibodies (Ak) against Bbsl using an ELISA and line immunoassay and for antibodies against Bbsl and Ap using a validated SNAP test (SNAP((R)) 4Dx Plus((R)) ELISA), whereby the serological test methods used correspond to the current gold standard for LB-diagnostics in the sense of a two-tier procedure with a sensitive screening test and a specific confirmation test. A total of 123 horses were included in the study. One hundred and twelve questionnaires and blood samples were available for statistical analysis. The most common clinical signs were lameness (n = 36;n(total) = 79;45.6 %), poor performance (n = 19;24.1 %) and apathy (n = 12;15.2 %). In almost half of the patients, the clinical changes had already been observed for more than six months (n = 48;n(total) = 112;42.9 %). Numerous animals showed several, often non-specific clinical signs (n = 104;n(total) = 114;92.2 %) and/or also suffered from a chronic disease (n = 48;n(total) = 114;42.5 %). Although in many cases further diagnostics for infections had already been carried out (n = 64 of n(total) = 114;56.1 %), some horses had not yet been subjected to further laboratory diagnostics (n = 14;n(total) = 114;12.3 %). In 15 % of the test subjects (n = 29;n(total) = 112) no detailed examination of individual organ systems had yet been carried out. Based on the serological Bbsl results, 51 % (n = 63) of the horses were negative, 28 % (n = 34) were borderline and 21 % (n = 26) were positive for specific antibodies against Bbsl. Ap-specific antibodies Ak were detected in 19.5 % of the horses. Evidence of coinfection with Bb and Ap was found in seven animals (5.7 %). The blood smears were without any special findings in all animals that were evaluated (n(root T) = 98). No pathognomonically defined clinical changes for LB in horses were identified based on the data obtained. In addition, neither the unspecific clinical signs (p = 0.043) nor lameness (p = 0.782) or joint swelling (p = 0.013) were statistically correlated with the detection of specific antibodies

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Tiermedizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0177-7726
• Sprache: Englisch