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Preventive veterinary medicine2012; 107(3-4); 275-279; doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.07.002

Dogs and horses with antibodies to outer-surface protein C as on-time sentinels for ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi in New York State in 2011.

Abstract: Reported cases of Lyme disease (a chronic disease caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi) in humans increased more than two-fold between 1992 and 2006 in the United States. Recently, the annual number of reported human Lyme disease cases stabilized (according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention) but the geographic distribution seemed to increase. In New York (NY) State, USA, a spread from the original Lyme disease focus in southeastern parts of the state has occurred. We determined incidence risks of new companion animal infection in 2011 with B. burgdorferi by county in 451 dog and 2100 horse sera; the samples were non-randomly collected by referring veterinarians in NY State between June 15, 2011 and January 31, 2012 because of suspicion of infection with B. burgdorferi or during annual health checks. All samples were submitted to the New York State Animal Health Center; the samples were submitted from 50 out of 62 counties in the state. Incident infections were determined by measuring antibodies to outer surface protein C (OspC; a marker of early infection that is detectable in serum from 3 weeks to 5 months after infection). Incident infections with B. burgdorferi were detected in 23% (95% confidence interval (CI): 19, 27) of canine samples and in 8% (95%CI: 7, 10) of equine samples. In 21 counties, samples were submitted from only one species (i.e. only dogs or only horses) that indicated incident infection. Recognition of incidence infections in dogs and horses might serve as a sentinel for infected ticks in different NY State counties; detection of the OspC antigen can provide a sensitive, new tool to allow recognition of risk for possible human and animal infection with B. burgdorferi by geographic region. We recommend that both dogs and horses be part of such a passive surveillance system.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2012-07-28 PubMed ID: 22841496DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.07.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigates the use of dogs and horses as indicators for the presence of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, in different counties of New York State.

Objective of the Research

The primary goal of this research was to better understand the geographic spread of Lyme disease, a debilitating chronic disease caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria transmitted through tick bites. This study aimed to use companion animals, specifically dogs and horses, as markers for the presence and spread of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks across New York State.

Methodology

  • The research utilized samples from 451 dogs and 2100 horses across 50 counties in New York State. These samples were collected by vets due to suspicion of infections or during annual health check ups.
  • The collected samples were then sent to the New York State Animal Health Center for further examination.
  • The researchers looked specifically for antibodies to an antigen named outer surface protein C (OspC), which is a marker of early infection, detectable from 3 weeks to 5 months post-infection.

Findings

  • The researchers found that 23% of the canine samples and 8% of the horse samples had evidence of recent infections with B. burgdorferi.
  • In 21 counties, incidence of infection was reported in only one species, either dogs or horses.

Implications

  • The results indicate the effectiveness of using dogs and horses as sentinels to identify areas with a high risk of Lyme disease in humans due to the presence of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks.
  • The researchers also advocate for these animals to be included in a passive surveillance system that can warn of the spread of Lyme disease.
  • By detecting the OspC antigen, the study provides a sensitive, new tool to recognize risks of Lyme disease and potentially control its spread in both animal and human populations.

This study contributes significantly to the control of Lyme disease by providing a practical and efficient method for monitoring the presence and spread of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks through passive surveillance of dogs and horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Wagner B, Erb HN. (2012). Dogs and horses with antibodies to outer-surface protein C as on-time sentinels for ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi in New York State in 2011. Prev Vet Med, 107(3-4), 275-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.07.002

Publication

Preventive veterinary medicine
ISSN: 1873-1716
NlmUniqueID: 8217463
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 107
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 275-279

Researcher Affiliations

Wagner, B
  • Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. bw73@cornell.edu
Erb, H N

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
    • Antigens, Bacterial / isolation & purification
    • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / isolation & purification
    • Borrelia burgdorferi / isolation & purification
    • Dog Diseases / diagnosis
    • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
    • Dog Diseases / microbiology
    • Dogs
    • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
    • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
    • Horse Diseases / microbiology
    • Horses
    • Incidence
    • Lyme Disease / diagnosis
    • Lyme Disease / epidemiology
    • Lyme Disease / microbiology
    • Lyme Disease / veterinary
    • New York / epidemiology
    • Seroepidemiologic Studies
    • Ticks / microbiology
    • Zoonoses / epidemiology
    • Zoonoses / microbiology

    Citations

    This article has been cited 10 times.
    1. Soltan-Alinejad P, Nikbakhtzadeh M, Moradi-Asl E. Unmasking Borrelia species: A comprehensive review of their presence in Iran. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2025 Dec;28:101123.
      doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101123pubmed: 40808974google scholar: lookup
    2. Doff SC, Wenderlein J, Wiesinger A, Hiereth S, Ulrich S, Straubinger RK. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu-Lato-Specific Antibodies in Sera of Canine and Equine Origin-A Comparative Study with Two Line Immunoassays. Vet Sci 2022 Nov 14;9(11).
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      doi: 10.1177/10406387211016103pubmed: 34041969google scholar: lookup
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      doi: 10.2478/jvetres-2020-0045pubmed: 32984632google scholar: lookup
    6. Divers TJ, Gardner RB, Madigan JE, Witonsky SG, Bertone JJ, Swinebroad EL, Schutzer SE, Johnson AL. Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Lyme Disease in North American Horses: A Consensus Statement. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Mar;32(2):617-632.
      doi: 10.1111/jvim.15042pubmed: 29469222google scholar: lookup
    7. Esteve-Gasent MD, Snell CB, Adetunji SA, Piccione J. Serological detection of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever in Texan domestic dogs. PLoS One 2017;12(12):e0189786.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189786pubmed: 29232415google scholar: lookup
    8. Izac JR, Oliver LD Jr, Earnhart CG, Marconi RT. Identification of a defined linear epitope in the OspA protein of the Lyme disease spirochetes that elicits bactericidal antibody responses: Implications for vaccine development. Vaccine 2017 May 31;35(24):3178-3185.
      doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.04.079pubmed: 28479174google scholar: lookup
    9. Irwin PJ, Robertson ID, Westman ME, Perkins M, Straubinger RK. Searching for Lyme borreliosis in Australia: results of a canine sentinel study. Parasit Vectors 2017 Mar 13;10(1):114.
      doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2058-zpubmed: 28285585google scholar: lookup
    10. Small CM, Ajithdoss DK, Rodrigues Hoffmann A, Mwangi W, Esteve-Gassent MD. Immunization with a Borrelia burgdorferi BB0172-derived peptide protects mice against lyme disease. PLoS One 2014;9(2):e88245.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088245pubmed: 24505447google scholar: lookup
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