Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Lyme Disease in North American Horses: A Consensus Statement |
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| Authors: | T.J. Divers R.B. Gardner J.E. Madigan S.G. Witonsky J.J. Bertone E.L. Swinebroad S.E. Schutzer A.L. Johnson |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;2. BW Furlong & Associates, Oldwick, NJ;3. Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California – Davis, CA;4. Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia‐Maryland Region CVM, Blacksburg, VA;5. CVMm Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA;6. Newmarket Sporthorse Medicine, Newmarket, NH;7. Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ;8. Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA |
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| Abstract: | Borrelia burgdorferi infection is common in horses living in Lyme endemic areas and the geographic range for exposure is increasing. Morbidity after B. burgdorferi infection in horses is unknown. Documented, naturally occurring syndromes attributed to B. burgdorferi infection in horses include neuroborreliosis, uveitis, and cutaneous pseudolymphoma. Although other clinical signs such as lameness and stiffness are reported in horses, these are often not well documented. Diagnosis of Lyme disease is based on exposure to B. burgdorferi, cytology or histopathology of infected fluid or tissue and antigen detection. Treatment of Lyme disease in horses is similar to treatment of humans or small animals but treatment success might not be the same because of species differences in antimicrobial bioavailability and duration of infection before initiation of treatment. There are no approved equine label Lyme vaccines but there is strong evidence that proper vaccination could prevent infection in horses. |
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| Keywords: | Disease Equine Lyme Seroprevalence Treatment Vaccination |
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