Evaluation of 2 ELISAs to determine Borrelia burgdorferi seropositivity in horses over a 12-month period.
Abstract: The blacklegged tick (), which transmits , the causative agent of Lyme disease, has undergone rapid range expansion in Ontario. In horses, Lyme disease remains an enigmatic disease, with limited understanding of the pathogenesis and many issues pertaining to selection and interpretation of laboratory tests. We evaluated seropositivity in naturally exposed horses over a 12-mo period and compared paired samples with 2 common serologic tests. Serum samples were collected in 2017, ~1 y after initial testing, from a cohort of 22 horses that were seropositive in a 2016 seroprevalence study. Samples were tested using a C6 ELISA and a multiplex ELISA targeting outer surface proteins A, C, and F. 1 y after initial testing, 14 of 22 (64%) horses remained seropositive; 7 (32%) were positive on the multiplex ELISA, 2 (9%) on C6 ELISA, and 5 (23%) on both tests. Repeatability was 100% for the C6 ELISA, and 95% for the multiplex ELISA, with no significant difference between paired sample multiplex titer values. Our results indicate strong intra-test reliability, although further investigation is required to determine the clinical significance of serologic testing.
Publication Date: 2021-05-27 PubMed ID: 34041969PubMed Central: PMC8225689DOI: 10.1177/10406387211016103Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Surveillance
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Laboratory Methods
- Lyme Disease
- Pathogenesis
- Serodiagnosis
- Serology
- Seroprevalence
- Tick-Borne Diseases
- Ticks
- Vector-borne disease
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The article focuses on assessing two serological tests to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease, in horses over one year in Ontario. The effectiveness of the tests were evaluated by sampling blood from a group of horses twice, with a year’s gap in between, and comparing the results.
Research Background
- The research is grounded in the backdrop of the increasing reach of the blacklegged tick, known for spreading Lyme disease, in the Ontario region.
- The disease is still not completely understood in horses, particularly the issues relating to laboratory tests and selection procedures.
Research Methodology
- The researchers collected blood samples from 22 horses, all of which were found to be seropositive in a 2016 survey. The same horses were tested again in 2017.
- Tests used included the C6 ELISA and a multiplex ELISA that targets outer surface proteins A, C, and F of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.
Research Findings
- A year later, 14 out of the 22 horses (64%) remained seropositive.
- Further breakdown showed that 7 horses (32%) were positive on the multiplex ELISA, 2 horses (9%) tested positive on the C6 ELISA, while 5 horses (23%) were found positive on both tests.
- The repeatability of tests for these horses was high, with 100% for the C6 ELISA and 95% for the multiplex ELISA.
- From one year to the next, there were no significant changes noted in multiplex titer values of paired samples.
Research Implications
- The high repeatability rates and strong intra-test reliability suggests that these tests could be used for regularly monitoring horses’ exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi.
- Further investigations are needed to fully understand the clinical significance of these serologic tests and their implications for the health and treatment of horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Neely M, Arroyo L, Jardine C, Clow K, Moore A, Hazlett M, Weese JS.
(2021).
Evaluation of 2 ELISAs to determine Borrelia burgdorferi seropositivity in horses over a 12-month period.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 33(4), 736-739.
https://doi.org/10.1177/10406387211016103 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Clinical Studies, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Departments of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- opulation Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Ontario Veterinary College, and Animal Health Laboratory, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Departments of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Borrelia burgdorferi / isolation & purification
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / methods
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Ixodes / microbiology
- Lyme Disease / blood
- Lyme Disease / diagnosis
- Lyme Disease / veterinary
- Reproducibility of Results
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Serologic Tests / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research,
authorship, and/or publication of this article.
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