Tick Born Diseases

Question 1

When was lyme disease first diagnosed?

Answer 1

1975 by Dr. Willy Burgdorfer

Question 2

What is the etiological agent of lyme disease?

Answer 2

Borrelia burdorferi

Question 3

What is the most common vector born disease in the US?

Answer 3

Lyme disease

Question 4

Is lyme disease reportable?

Answer 4

In humans but not in animals

Question 5

What is lyme disease known as on the west coast?

Answer 5

Ixodus pacificus

Question 6

What else is lyme disease known as?

Answer 6

Ixodus scapularis

Question 7

How is lyme disease primarily transmitted?

Answer 7

Nymphal ticks between May-July

Question 8

When does transmission of lyme disease occur?

Answer 8

Greater than 24 hours after the tick has been attached

Question 9

What is the first life stage a tick is able to transmit lyme disease?

Answer 9

The nymphal stage, but adult ticks can spread disease too

Question 10

Can cats get lyme disease?

Answer 10

Sometimes, they are believed to be highly resistant and rarely show signs of the disease

Question 11

How big will a tick get when it is engorged?

Answer 11

Up to 20x its original size

Question 12

Which gender is more likely to transmit lyme disease?

Answer 12

Females more so than males, but both can transmit the disease

Question 13

What is the scientific name for the black leg tick?

Answer 13

Ixodus pacificus

Question 14

What is the scientific name for the deer tick?

Answer 14

Ixodus scapularis

Question 15

What is the most common clinical sign for dogs with lyme disease?

Answer 15

Arthritis

Question 16

What are some other typical clinical signs?

Answer 16

Acute lameness, pain and sometimes swelling in one or more joints

Question 17

What are some of the less common clinical signs of lyme disease?

Answer 17

Fever, anorexia, dehydration, inactivity/lethargy, lymphadenopathy, and in severe cases, renal failure and death

Question 18

How is lyme disease typically diagnosed?

Answer 18

Based on if pet has history of being in an endemic area, a lyme titer test, lyme western blot test, lyme c6 antibody test (4dx), lyme quantitative c6 antibody test

Question 19

How does the lyme 4dx test work?

Answer 19

Antibodies to currently available lyme vaccines do not cross react with the snap lyme test, so you can identify infected dogs in a vaccinated population; this is a qualitative test

Question 20

What is the recommended treatment of lyme disease?

Answer 20

Antimicrobials in penicillin and tetracycline groups are affective; most common med used is Doxycycline; most cases respond rapidly to therapy

Question 21

What is the best prevention of lyme disease?

Answer 21

Avoidance, preventatives, detection and removal, and vaccinate

Question 22

What is canine ehrlichiosis commonly called?

Answer 22

Tracker dog disease

Question 23

What other animals are effected by Ehrlichiosis ?

Answer 23

Cattle, sheep, goats, horses and humans

Question 24

What are ehrlichia?

Answer 24

Small, gram negative cocci that stain dark blue to purple with Romakowsky stain

Question 25

What is the scientific name of ehrlichia?

Answer 25

Ehrlichia canis

Question 26

How is ehrlichia transmitted?

Answer 26

By the brown dog tick aka Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Question 27

What stages of the brown dog tick can transmit ehrlichia?

Answer 27

Because stages feed multiple times before molting, ALL stages can potentially transmit disease

Question 28

How long after becoming infected can the brown dog tick transmit ehrlichia?

Answer 28

Up to 155 days after becoming infected, and the ticks can survive for up to 568 days if the are unfed

Question 29

What happens in the acute stage of Ehrlichiosis?

Answer 29

The organisms multiply and spread throughout the body

Question 30

What are the clinical signs seen during the acute stage of Ehrlichiosis?

Answer 30

Fever, anorexia, lymphadenopathy, hemorrhage, convulsions, ocular/nasal discharge (which can be bloody)

Question 31

How long typically does the Acute stage of Ehrlichiosis last?

Answer 31

May last up for 4 weeks, which is considered the lag period

Question 32

What occurs during the Subclinical stage of Ehrlichiosis?

Answer 32

Antibody levels rise and the body starts to fight the disease, blood work may be abnormal and spontaneous recovery may occur

Question 33

What occurs during the Chronic stage of Ehrlichiosis?

Answer 33

Decreased bone marrow production, as well as anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia

Question 34

How is Ehrlichiosis diagnosed?

Answer 34

Platelet count may be low, then clinical diagnosis is confirmed by demonstrating the organisms within WBC or a ELISA test

Question 35

How long may an antibody response be delayed with Ehrlichiosis?

Answer 35

Up to 28 days

Question 36

What was Anaplasmosis formally called?

Answer 36

Ehrlichia equii

Question 37

What is the scientific name for Anaplasmosis?

Answer 37

Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Question 38

What is Anaplasma?

Answer 38

A gram-negative nonmotile coccoid to ellipsoid bacteria

Question 39

What animals are affected by Anaplasmosis?

Answer 39

Dogs, cats, ruminants, horses and humans

Question 40

What tick will transmit Anaplasmosis?

Answer 40

The deer tick, aka Ixodus scapularis

Question 41

What kind of parasite is Anaplasma considered?

Answer 41

Obligate intracellular parasites

Question 42

What are the clinical signs of Anaplasmosis?

Answer 42

High fever, lethargy, depression, polyarthritis, and neurological signs including ataxia, seizures and neck pain; they can also get cyclic thrombocytopenia at 7-14 day intervals

Question 43

What is a IFA test?

Answer 43

Immunofluorescence Antibody Assay is a traditional laboratory technique that utilizes fluorescent dyes to identify the presence of antibodies bound to specific antigens

Question 44

How is Anaplasmosis diagnosed?

Answer 44

By either an ELISA or IFA test, a PCR or a polymeric chain reaction, a blood smear can also be used, but the sensitivity of this technique is very low

Question 45

Why should tertracycline NOT be used for Anaplasmosis in young animals?

Answer 45

Because it affects their teeth enamel