[The importance of Lyme borreliosis in veterinary medicine].

This research studied literature on Lyme borreliosis (a bacterial infection) in animals and discussed its epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment in horses, cattle and dogs. Specific symptoms in these animals were also highlighted, and the study noted the challenges in diagnosing this disease due to its complex clinical signs.

Epidemiology and Clinical Signs

The researchers explored the spread and symptoms of Lyme borreliosis in:

• Horses, where the disease can cause symptoms such as chronic weight loss, sporadic lameness, laminitis, low grade fever, swollen joints and muscle tenderness. In more serious cases, horses can exhibit neurological signs including depression, behavioral changes, and encephalitis.
• Cattle, which when acutely infected often present with fever, stiffness, swollen joints and lowered milk production. In more chronic cases, the disease can lead to weight loss, laminitis, and even cause abortions.
• Dogs, where the disease may lead to symptoms like inappetence, lethargy, lymphadenopathy, and acute onset of stiffness or pain. More advanced manifestations in dogs include recurrent intermittent nonerosive arthritis. The report also mentions the occurrence of kidney damage, specifically glomerulonephritis and tubular damage, in dogs due to this infection. In certain areas where the infection is prevalent, heart blocks have also been reported in dogs.

Pathogenesis

The researchers noted that the underlying process of how Lyme borreliosis develops and impacts animals remains unknown. This makes the disease a significant subject for further study, given its impact on the health and productivity of these animals.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing Lyme borreliosis is complex, as it relies on successful recognition of a range of clinical signs, understanding if the animal was likely exposed to the infection, and results from serological testing. This complexity highlights the need for improved diagnostic methods to be developed, to support the effective treatment of animals affected by this disease.

Treatment

In terms of treatment, the research states that the approach to treating this disease in animals is based on how Lyme borreliosis is treated in human medicine. This implies that antibiotics are most commonly used, given they are the main treatment for Lyme disease in humans. However, the efficacy of this approach and potential alternatives were not discussed, suggesting that these are areas that could benefit from further exploration.