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Research article2007Peer reviewed

Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs with neurological signs

Jaderlund KH, Egenvall A, Bergstrom K, Hedhammar A

Abstract

A retrospective cohort study was carried out to evaluate whether seropositivity for the tick-transmitted bacterial species Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and/or Anaplasma phagocytophilum was associated with one or more specific categories of nervous system disorders in dogs. A total of 248 dogs with nervous system disorders were serotested for these agents and categorised into six main diagnostic categories: degenerative diseases of the spine, epilepsy, inflammatory diseases, neoplasia, peripheral neuropathies, and other diseases. Multivariable analysis using logistic regression was used to model whether a dog was diagnosed as being in any of these categories. The independent variables included were sex, age, year of serological testing, and whether the animal tested positive for B burgdorferi sensu lato and/or A phagocytophilum. in one model, a statistically significant association was found between a positive titre for A phagocytophilum and the risk of a dog developing neoplastic disease. Although statistically significant, it was concluded that the association was not of clinical relevance

Published in

Veterinary Record
2007, Volume: 160, number: 24, pages: 825-831
Publisher: BRITISH VETERINARY ASSOC