Tick Born Diseases Flashcards
When was lyme disease first diagnosed?
1975 by Dr. Willy Burgdorfer
What is the etiological agent of lyme disease?
Borrelia burdorferi
What is the most common vector born disease in the US?
Lyme disease
Is lyme disease reportable?
In humans but not in animals
What is lyme disease known as on the west coast?
Ixodus pacificus
What else is lyme disease known as?
Ixodus scapularis
How is lyme disease primarily transmitted?
Nymphal ticks between May-July
When does transmission of lyme disease occur?
Greater than 24 hours after the tick has been attached
What is the first life stage a tick is able to transmit lyme disease?
The nymphal stage, but adult ticks can spread disease too
Can cats get lyme disease?
Sometimes, they are believed to be highly resistant and rarely show signs of the disease
How big will a tick get when it is engorged?
Up to 20x its original size
Which gender is more likely to transmit lyme disease?
Females more so than males, but both can transmit the disease
What is the scientific name for the black leg tick?
Ixodus pacificus
What is the scientific name for the deer tick?
Ixodus scapularis
What is the most common clinical sign for dogs with lyme disease?
Arthritis
What are some other typical clinical signs?
Acute lameness, pain and sometimes swelling in one or more joints
What are some of the less common clinical signs of lyme disease?
Fever, anorexia, dehydration, inactivity/lethargy, lymphadenopathy, and in severe cases, renal failure and death
How is lyme disease typically diagnosed?
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
How does the lyme 4dx test work?
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
What is the recommended treatment of lyme disease?
Antimicrobials in penicillin and tetracycline groups are affective; most common med used is Doxycycline; most cases respond rapidly to therapy
What is the best prevention of lyme disease?
Avoidance, preventatives, detection and removal, and vaccinate
What is canine ehrlichiosis commonly called?
Tracker dog disease
What other animals are effected by Ehrlichiosis ?
Cattle, sheep, goats, horses and humans
What are ehrlichia?
Small, gram negative cocci that stain dark blue to purple with Romakowsky stain
What is the scientific name of ehrlichia?
Ehrlichia canis
How is ehrlichia transmitted?
By the brown dog tick aka Rhipicephalus sanguineus
What stages of the brown dog tick can transmit ehrlichia?
Because stages feed multiple times before molting, ALL stages can potentially transmit disease
How long after becoming infected can the brown dog tick transmit ehrlichia?
Up to 155 days after becoming infected, and the ticks can survive for up to 568 days if the are unfed
What happens in the acute stage of Ehrlichiosis?
The organisms multiply and spread throughout the body
What are the clinical signs seen during the acute stage of Ehrlichiosis?
Fever, anorexia, lymphadenopathy, hemorrhage, convulsions, ocular/nasal discharge (which can be bloody)
How long typically does the Acute stage of Ehrlichiosis last?
May last up for 4 weeks, which is considered the lag period
What occurs during the Subclinical stage of Ehrlichiosis?
Antibody levels rise and the body starts to fight the disease, blood work may be abnormal and spontaneous recovery may occur
What occurs during the Chronic stage of Ehrlichiosis?
Decreased bone marrow production, as well as anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia
How is Ehrlichiosis diagnosed?
Platelet count may be low, then clinical diagnosis is confirmed by demonstrating the organisms within WBC or a ELISA test
How long may an antibody response be delayed with Ehrlichiosis?
Up to 28 days
What was Anaplasmosis formally called?
Ehrlichia equii
What is the scientific name for Anaplasmosis?
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
What is Anaplasma?
A gram-negative nonmotile coccoid to ellipsoid bacteria
What animals are affected by Anaplasmosis?
Dogs, cats, ruminants, horses and humans
What tick will transmit Anaplasmosis?
The deer tick, aka Ixodus scapularis
What kind of parasite is Anaplasma considered?
Obligate intracellular parasites
What are the clinical signs of Anaplasmosis?
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
What is a IFA test?
Immunofluorescence Antibody Assay is a traditional laboratory technique that utilizes fluorescent dyes to identify the presence of antibodies bound to specific antigens
How is Anaplasmosis diagnosed?
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
Why should tertracycline NOT be used for Anaplasmosis in young animals?
Because it affects their teeth enamel
