Seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in dogs and horses in Turkey.

The research conducted primarily focused on investigating the presence of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in a population of dogs and horses in Turkey. The study utilized two specific test methods, the well-known ELISA assay and the innovative flow-cytometry-based borreliacidal antibody test (BAT), for comparative purposes.

Objectives and Methods of the Study

• The main goal of this research was to ascertain the prevalence of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in dogs and horses within Turkey. This bacteria causes Lyme disease, a potentially severe illness in animals and humans. The study also aimed to compare the sensitivity of a newly introduced BAT and the conventional ELISA assay in measuring the presence of these antibodies.
• The researchers collected serum samples from 400 dogs and 300 horses. The samples were then tested with the Enzyme-Linked Protein A/G assay (ELPAGA), which used Borrelia whole cell antigens. These antigens help identify the presence of antibodies against the bacteria in the serum.

Findings and Analysis

• The ELPAGA test results indicated that around 23.2% of dogs and 6% of horses contained anti-Borrelia antibodies, indicating an exposure to Lyme disease-causing Borrelia bacteria.
• Parallel testing with the novel BAT showed that 27.75% of dogs and 6.33% of horses were positive i.e., detected with anti-Borrelia antibodies. It signifies that the BAT method may be slightly more sensitive to finding these antibodies in dogs compared to the ELPAGA method.
• Additionally, the serological test results were compared with the health status of the animals. The findings indicated that the dogs tested positive for anti-Borrelia antibodies commonly exhibited clinical signs like skin manifestations, urinary tract disorders, and anemia. Interestingly, no clinical symptoms associated with Lyme disease were observed among the serologically positive horses.

Significance of the Study

• This study is significant for being the first to report the prevalence of Lyme disease amongst dogs and horses in Turkey. Furthermore, it also pioneered the use of the novel BAT in detecting the presence of Borrelia antibodies in animals.
• The findings underline the utility of both the ELISA and BAT tests for anti-Borrelia antibody detection, but also suggest that BAT may be slightly more sensitive. Thus, it could be a promising tool in future Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment in animals.