Experimental infection of ponies with Borrelia burgdorferi by exposure to Ixodid ticks.
Abstract: Seven specific-pathogen-free (SPF) ponies, 1-5 years old, were exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi-infected adult ticks while being treated with dexamethasone over 5 consecutive days. One SPF pony (pony No. 178) was first exposed to laboratory-reared nymphs without B. burgdorferi infection and 3 weeks later was exposed to B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks with concurrent dexamethasone treatment for 5 consecutive days. Four uninfected ponies treated with dexamethasone, exposed to laboratory-reared ticks without B. burgdorferi infection served as uninfected controls. Clinical signs, bacteriologic culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bacterial DNA, immunologic responses, and gross lesions and histopathologic changes were investigated during the experiment or at necropsy 9 months after tick exposure. In all of the seven challenged ponies, infection with B. burgdorferi was detected from monthly skin biopsies and various tissues at postmortem examination by culture and by PCR. However, pony No. 178 exposed to laboratory-reared nymphs (without B. burgdorferi infection) and challenged with B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks 2 months later did not develop a B. burgdorferi infection. All of the infected ponies seroconverted. Control ponies and pony No. 178 were negative by culture, PCR, and serology. Except for skin lesions, we failed to induce any significant histopathologic changes in this study. This is the first report of successful tick-induced experimental infection in ponies by exposure to B. burgdorferi-infected ticks. This Lyme disease model will be very useful to evaluate efficacy of vaccines against the Lyme agent and the effect of antibiotic therapy on horses infected with B. burgdorferi.
Publication Date: 2000-01-22 PubMed ID: 10643983DOI: 10.1354/vp.37-1-68Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the effectiveness of infecting horses with Lyme disease-causing bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, using ticks. The study’s results could potentially assist in developing vaccines and refining antibiotic treatments for Lyme disease in horses.
Study Design
- The study involved a total of seven specific-pathogen-free (SPF) ponies, aged between 1-5 years, which were exposed to B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks.
- In order to weaken the immune system of the ponies and make them more susceptible to infection, they were treated with dexamethasone for five continuous days during the tick exposure.
- One of these ponies (referred to as pony No. 178) was initially exposed to tick nymphs that were not infected with B. burgdorferi, and then three weeks later was exposed to B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks, with concurrent dexamethasone treatment.
- As a control group, four uninfected ponies were also treated with dexamethasone and then exposed to lab-grown ticks without B. burgdorferi.
Results & Findings
- The study monitored clinical signs, bacteriologic culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bacterial DNA, immunologic responses, and any physical lesions and histopathologic changes, during the experiment and at necropsy (post-mortem exam) nine months after tick exposure.
- All seven ponies who were exposed to the B. burgdorferi-infected ticks were confirmed to be infected with the bacteria through monthly skin biopsies and examination of various tissues at necropsy, done both by culture and PCR.
- However, pony No. 178, who was first exposed to uninfected ticks, did not develop a B. burgdorferi infection even after exposure to the infected ticks.
- All of the infected ponies showed seroconversion, meaning their immune systems responded to the B. burgdorferi infection by producing detectable antibodies.
- The control ponies and pony No. 178 remained negative, as confirmed by bacteriologic culture, PCR, and serology.
- Aside from skin lesions, there were no significant histopathologic changes observed.
Implications & Conclusion
- This represents the first successful report of experimental infection in ponies with B. burgdorferi using tick exposure.
- The study’s model of Lyme disease is seen as useful for evaluating vaccines against Lyme disease and the effect of antibiotic therapy on horses infected with B. burgdorferi.
Cite This Article
APA
Chang YF, Novosol V, McDonough SP, Chang CF, Jacobson RH, Divers T, Quimby FW, Shin S, Lein DH.
(2000).
Experimental infection of ponies with Borrelia burgdorferi by exposure to Ixodid ticks.
Vet Pathol, 37(1), 68-76.
https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.37-1-68 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. yc42@cornell.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Arachnid Vectors / microbiology
- Biopsy / veterinary
- Blotting, Southern / veterinary
- Blotting, Western / veterinary
- Borrelia burgdorferi Group / genetics
- Borrelia burgdorferi Group / immunology
- Borrelia burgdorferi Group / pathogenicity
- DNA Primers / chemistry
- DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
- Dexamethasone / therapeutic use
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Female
- Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses
- Ixodes / microbiology
- Lyme Disease / microbiology
- Lyme Disease / transmission
- Lyme Disease / veterinary
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Skin / microbiology
- Skin / pathology
- Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
Citations
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- Chang YF, McDonough SP, Chang CF, Shin KS, Yen W, Divers T. Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent infection in a pony vaccinated with a Borrelia burgdorferi recombinant OspA vaccine and challenged by exposure to naturally infected ticks. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2000 Jan;7(1):68-71.
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