Association of Borrelia burgdorferi with nuchal bursitis and elevated outer surface protein A-specific serum antibodies in horses of the northeastern United States.

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  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: American Veterinary Medical Association Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7503067 Publication Model: Electronic-Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1943-569X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00031488 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Am Vet Med Assoc Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: Mar. 1975- : Schaumburg, Ill. : American Veterinary Medical Association
      Original Publication: Ithaca, N.Y. : [American Veterinary Medical Association, 1915]-
    • Subject Terms:
      Horse Diseases*/microbiology ; Horse Diseases*/blood ; Horse Diseases*/epidemiology ; Borrelia burgdorferi*/immunology ; Borrelia burgdorferi*/isolation & purification ; Bursitis*/veterinary ; Bursitis*/microbiology ; Bursitis*/epidemiology ; Antibodies, Bacterial*/blood ; Lyme Disease*/veterinary ; Lyme Disease*/epidemiology ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins*/immunology; Animals ; Horses ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; New England/epidemiology ; Lipoproteins ; Cohort Studies ; Antigens, Surface/immunology ; Bacterial Vaccines
    • Abstract:
      Objective: Evaluate the incidence of Borrelia burgdorferi in cases of equine nuchal bursitis (NB) and investigate the relationship between elevated serum outer surface protein A (OspA) antibodies and the molecular identification of B burgdorferi in bursal tissue or synovial fluid. Additionally, describe clinical cases and compare the histologic changes in NB with and without detection of B burgdorferi.
      Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study (2013 to 2022). Medical records from horses with a diagnosis of NB and B burgdorferi PCR testing on NB tissue or synovial fluid were reviewed. The study population included 11 horses with a postmortem diagnosis of NB, 19 horses from the northeastern US with an antemortem diagnosis of B burgdorferi PCR-positive NB, and 15 healthy controls without evidence of NB and unvaccinated for B burgdorferi. Where serum was available, Lyme multiplex assay results were compared with controls and ELISAs targeting individual B burgdorferi antigens were performed. Histologic findings in nuchal bursa tissue were compared between NB cases with and without B burgdorferi PCR detection.
      Results: Serum OspA antibody values in B burgdorferi-positive NB cases (n = 13) were significantly elevated (P < .001) compared to controls (15), and OspA was the predominant antigen detected by ELISA (8). Histopathology did not vary between NB cases with (n = 9) and without (6) B burgdorferi PCR detection.
      Conclusions: The presence of B burgdorferi in the nuchal bursa of horses is associated with increased serum OspA antibodies.
      Clinical Relevance: The role of B burgdorferi in equine NB may be underestimated, and targeted therapy requires investigation.
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Lyme disease; equine; multiplex; poll evil; serology
    • Accession Number:
      0 (Antibodies, Bacterial)
      0 (Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins)
      0 (OspA protein)
      0 (Lipoproteins)
      0 (Antigens, Surface)
      0 (Bacterial Vaccines)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20240906 Date Completed: 20241018 Latest Revision: 20241114
    • Publication Date:
      20241114
    • Accession Number:
      10.2460/javma.24.05.0312
    • Accession Number:
      39241798