Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
First case of Borrelia hermsii infection found in a dog in Washington
By Kelly, Ashley L et al.·Published in Ticks and tick-borne diseases·2014·National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: First isolation of the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia hermsii, from a domestic dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in Washington was found to be sick and tested positive for a type of bacteria called Borrelia hermsii, which is usually known to cause relapsing fever in humans. This was the first time this particular bacteria was identified in a dog, although a different type has been found in dogs in other states. The dog was examined and the bacteria were isolated from its blood. This case suggests that dogs living in rustic areas, especially in higher elevation forests, could be at risk for this infection.
People also search for: dog sick with fever · Borrelia hermsii in dogs · tick-borne illness in pets
Abstract
In North America, tick-borne relapsing fever of humans is most frequently caused by infection with the spirochete Borrelia hermsii. Prior to our investigation, this spirochete was not known to infect dogs although another species, Borrelia turicatae, has been isolated from domestic canids in Florida and Texas. A clinically ill dog in Washington, USA, was spirochetemic upon examination. Spirochetes were isolated from the dog's serum and examined by PCR and multi-locus sequence typing. DNA sequences for 7 loci all typed the spirochete as B. hermsii and a member of genomic group II of this species. Therefore, companion dogs that reside in rustic cabins in higher elevation forests are at risk of infection with B. hermsii.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24252262/