Serologic survey for Borrelia burgdorferi antibody in horses referred to a mid-Atlantic veterinary teaching hospital.

The research article presents an investigation into the percentage of horses referred to a veterinary hospital in the mid-Atlantic region that tested positive to antibodies for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria which causes Lyme disease, through blood tests.

Research Overview

• The study took blood samples from horses referred to the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals in two different months, June and October.
• The objective of this study was to determine the level of exposure to the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi among horses in the hospital, showing how prevalent the potential for Lyme disease infection is amongst them.

Results of the Study

• The study found that 13% and 7% of horses tested positive for the B. burgdorferi antibody in the months of June and October, respectively. This suggests a considerable number of horses have been exposed to the bacteria.
• Horses from the states of New York, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were seropositive for B. burgdorferi, meaning these horses had the B. burgdorferi antibody in their blood, a possible indicator of exposure or infection.
• The response rate for the presence of the B. burgdorferi antibody was found to be significantly rather higher (P less than 0.05) in horses from New Jersey than those from Pennsylvania or any of the other states combined, pointing towards geographical disparities in the level of exposure to the bacteria.

Relationship between Lyme Disease and Other Conditions

• The research investigated a possible correlation between seropositivity for B. burgdorferi and the open diagnosis of neurologic or musculoskeletal diseases in horses.
• No statistically significant difference was established when a comparison was made between horses with serotiter and open diagnosis of these conditions and those with negative serotest results. This could indicate that the presence of Lyme disease does not significantly impact the occurrence of these conditions, or the other way round, but there’s a need for further research to determine this with certainty.