Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Borrelia infection detected in blood of cats and dogs in Iran
By Ownagh, Abdolghaffar et al.·Published in Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]·2024·Department of Microbiology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Borrelia Spp. In blood samples of cats and dogs by the nested-PCR method in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran.
Plain-English summary
A study found that 19% of cats and 15% of dogs tested positive for Borrelia bacteria, which can cause Lyme disease and other health issues. Blood samples were taken from 250 cats and 300 dogs in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, and analyzed using a specialized testing method. The results showed that a significant number of pets in the area may be infected with this bacteria. If your pet is showing symptoms like lethargy, joint pain, or fever, it’s a good idea to discuss testing for Borrelia with your veterinarian.
People also search for: cat Lyme disease symptoms · dog Borrelia infection treatment · why is my dog lethargic · cat blood test results · joint pain in dogs
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and genetic attributes of Borrelia spp. in cats and dogs from the West Azerbaijan Province, located in the northwest of Iran. A total of 250 blood samples from cats and 300 blood samples from dogs were collected, and information regarding their age, sex, breed, ownership status, sampling time and region was recorded. The identification of positive samples was accomplished through nested-PCR and sequencing, with subsequent analysis of the gene sequences conducted using BioEdit software. The gene sequences for Borrelia spp. in this study showed 100% similarity to reference sequences in the GenBank® database. Phylogenetic trees were built using MEGA11. The outcomes indicated that among 250 blood samples from cats, 48 (19.2%) tested positive for Borrelia spp. gene, with a CI from 14.8 to 24.53% for cats. Similarly, out of 300 blood samples from dogs, 45 (15%) tested positive for the Borrelia spp. gene, with a CI from 11.4 to 19.48% for dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38819772/