Occurrence of Borrelia lusitaniae infection in horses.

This research studied the occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) infection, which often causes Lyme disease, in horses within high tick infested areas. It was discovered that a notable proportion of the horses had been infected with a genospecies of the bacteria called B. lusitaniae.

Study Purpose and Methodology

• The primary purpose of this research was to investigate the incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) infections in horses, particularly those that are heavily exposed to tick infestations. B. burgdorferi is a kind of bacteria that typically results in Lyme disease.
• The researchers took blood samples from 98 healthy horses across five different stud farms. These samples were then assessed using SNAP(®) 4D× and PCR tests, designed to identify antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. and Borrelia DNA accordingly.
• Antibodies are proteins that the body produces in reaction to harmful substances like bacteria. The presence of these antibodies indicates that the horse has been exposed to the bacteria. The PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test is a method widely employed in molecular biology to make several copies of a specific DNA segment, thereby facilitating the detection of DNA related to the bacteria.

Research Findings

• Out of the 98 samples, 10 (equalling 15.3%) were found to be positive for antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l., suggesting they had been exposed to the bacteria.
• Further, 5 samples (5.1%) were positive for both antibodies and Borrelia DNA, confirming current or past infection with the bacteria.
• Sequencing analysis conducted on these samples showed the highest compatibility with B. lusitaniae, a genospecies of B. burgdorferi. A genospecies is a group of organisms that have similar genetic composition.
• No significant differences were identified between the sexes of the horses and the stud farms in which they were located. However, the age of the horses was found to be significantly associated with seropositivity, meaning older horses were more likely to have been exposed to the bacteria (p<0.05).

Conclusion

• This research provides substantial evidence confirming the presence of B. lusitaniae infection in horses, something that had not been clearly established prior to this study.