Borreilia

Borrelia are transmitted by vectors (ticks or lice) and except for B. recurrens and B. dutonii they all have a reservoir among wild animals.

The main mode of transmission is a bite of the tick Ixodes ricinus (European castor bean tick). The bacteria are located in the intestine of the tick, are activated by the blood meal and migrate to the salivary glands. It then takes up to 24 hours until transmission via the saliva takes place. If the tick is properly removed within this period, the risk of infection can be greatly reduced.

In contrast to humans, the clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis (Lyme disease) in dogs are rather non-specific and can easily be overlooked. In dogs, there is rarely an erythema migrans. Fatigue, loss of performance, possibly fever and, after a symptom free phase of several weeks, reluctance to move, alternating lameness, emaciation, vomiting and oedema occur. Occasionally, neurological deficits are also observed.

A serious complication is the development of glomerulonephritis with subsequent kidney failure due to the deposition of immune complexes.

The main vector, Ixodes ricinus, occurs throughout Germany but can be found more frequently in certain areas. In such areas, it is therefore recommended to regularly check for any infestation of the dog with ticks and to have a Lyme disease test carried out if the symptoms mentioned above occur.

Infections and diseases in cats and cattle are reported more and more often.

Furthermore, Lyme disease is classified as an emerging bacterial zoonosis.

Grazing animals are often used for blood meals by borrelia-infected ticks. Clinical diseases appear as well as seropositive animals without any clinical signs, with the evaluation often being difficult.

In horses , a variety of signs are associated with borrelia: reduced performance, lameness, changes in the skin, eyes or heart up to neurological deficits and abortions. However, there is still controversy as to whether the infection in horses leads to any clinical signs at all.

Lyme disease in cattle is associated with lameness, weight loss and abortion. Pathogen isolation from clinical material is sometimes successful (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia afzelii). Seroconversions have been shown as well as the response to tetracycline therapy.

PCR

Borrelia – Pathogen Detection PCR

We also offer

• Borrelia – Antibody Detection : IgG and IgM (Serology)
• Borrelia / Lyme Disease (blot) -serology

PCR

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is caused by an arbovirus. Arboviruses are an inhomogeneous group of viruses whose common feature is the transmission by bloodsucking arthropods. Like the West Nile virus, the TBE virus (TBEV) belongs to the genus Flavivirus and is transmitted by ticks.

In dogs, the disease was first described in 1972. Seroepidemiological studies conducted since then have shown that dogs have relatively frequent contact with TBEV (up to 30% in certain areas) without contracting the disease. If the disease is contracted, the symptoms in dogs are a multifocal occurrence involving the cerebrum, brain stem and sometimes also the spinal cord. The disease usually begins acutely to peracutely with a highly elevated body temperature (up to over 41 °C) and a further rapidly progressive course. Changes in behaviour, from being apathetic to overexcited or aggressive, gait disorders up to tetraparesis/tetraplegia and seizures can occur. Various brain nerve deficits are observed, e.g. facioplegia, strabismus, nystagmus, miosis, missing menace reflex. Hyperalgesia in the head and neck area as well as a generally increased painfulness are characteristic. A large part of the disorders ends lethally or by euthanasia within one week. Recently, there have been more and more literature reports on dogs with a chronic course of the disease that have survived.

Sometimes slight neurological signs remained, sometimes the dogs were fully recovered.

Diagnosis should be confirmed serologically by antibody detection using ELISA. However, it must be taken into account that the antibodies could be the result of a previous subclinical infection. Antibodies may also appear in the CSF within the first week after infection and can be detected by ELISA.

In the peracute form, PCR can be used to try to detect the virus in the CSF. Due to the very rapid virus elimination from the brain, however, this is only possible in the early phase of infection.

Virus detection by PCR from a collected tick is possible and especially useful if a person is affected by a tick.

TBE is also increasingly detected in neurologically affected horses. The clinical picture is similar to the disease caused by the West Nile virus.

We also offer the followings: Antibodies tests:

• a serology test for Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus IgG and,
• a serology test for Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus IgM and,
• an antibodies test for Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus IgG (CSF) .

PCR tests

• a PCR test for Tick-borne Encephalitis V. (TBE) and,
• a Tick PCR Profile I and,
• a Tick PCR Profile II and,
• a Tick PCR Profile III and,
• a Tick PCR Profile IV