Changes in Borrelia burgdorferi ELISA antibody over time in both antibiotic treated and untreated horses.

The research paper is focused on understanding the change in Borrelia ELISA antibody concentrations in horses before and after antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. The study finds antibiotic treatment results in a slight decline in ELISA values and untreated horses show a potential increase in ELISA values.

Research Objective and Methodology

• The goal of the research was to compare Borrelia ELISA antibody concentrations in naturally exposed horses before and after they were treated for Lyme disease.
• A retrospective study was executed comparing oxytetracycline- or doxycycline-treated horses (n = 68) and untreated horses (n = 183) from a single equine practice, looking at the change in their Borrelia ELISA values over a similar time period.

Key Findings

• The horses treated with antibiotics showed a decline in ELISA values compared to control horses.
• The untreated horses were twice as likely to experience an increase in their ELISA values when compared to the treated horses.
• The reduction in ELISA units following treatments was less significant compared to that reported in experimentally infected and treated ponies in earlier studies.

Implications and Conclusions

• It is expected that field-exposed horses with high Borrelia burgdorferi ELISA values who are treated with either oxytetracycline or doxycycline would only witness a small decline in ELISA values post-treatment.
• The findings suggest that persistently high ELISA titres following appropriate treatments for Lyme disease may not necessarily warrant extended treatment, particularly in the absence of appropriate clinical signs.

The research provides valuable insight regarding the impact of antibiotic treatment on Lyme disease in horses. However, it also prompts a further investigation into whether higher ELISA titres in the wake of medically appropriate treatments merit longer periods of treatment, especially without the presence of suitable clinical symptoms.