12 - borreliosis (lyme disease)

Question 1

(borreliosis)

1. caused by what?
2. transmitted by what?

Answer 1

1. borrelia burgdorferi (a spirochete)
2. deer tick (ixodes)

Question 2

(borelliosis)

1. how long must ticks be attached to transmit?
2. once in skin, borrelia spreads through what?

Answer 2

1. 48 hours
2. connective tissue

Question 3

(borelliosis)

1. what are the reservoir hosts?

Answer 3

1. mice and other rodents

(migratory birds may carry deer ticks long distances)

Question 4

(borelliosis)

1. where do most cases occur?

Answer 4

1. NE and MN and WI

Question 5

(borelliosis)

1. how many dogs show clinical disease?

Answer 5

1. 5%

(subclinical infectino common)

Question 6

(borelliosis)

1. how long for Cx to develop after exposure?

Answer 6

1. 2-5 months

Question 7

(borelliosis)

(Cx)

1. what is th most common clinical sign?

Answer 7

1. polyarthropathy

(sometimes protein-losing glomerulopathy - esp in labs and goldens)

Question 8

(borelliosis)

(dx)

(ELISA and IFA antibody titers)

1. do these diff between infection and vx?
2. titer increaeses within 4 to 6 weeks after exposure

Answer 8

1. no

Question 9

(borelliosis)

(dx)

(C6 antibody test is highly specific for B. burgdorferi)

1. this test uses a c6 antigen that can detect C6 antibodies against an outer surface protein of Borrelia spp.
2. why is this test good?

Answer 9

2. diffs natural from vx (only nautrally infected dogs have C6)

also early infections can be detected, before Cx

Question 10

(borelliosis)

(tx)

1. tx of choice?
2. dogs that are seropositive but asymtpomatic don’t need treatment

Answer 10

1. doxycycline

Question 11

(borelliosis)

(prevention)

1. vx dogs at high risk (tick infested areas)