Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tick bacteria exposure in dogs with neurological problems
By Jäderlund, K H et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2007·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in dogs with neurological signs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 248 dogs with nervous system problems were tested for two tick-borne bacteria: Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The study looked at various conditions like epilepsy and spinal diseases to see if these infections were linked to specific neurological disorders. While a connection was found between Anaplasma and a higher risk of certain tumors, the researchers concluded that this finding wasn't clinically significant. Therefore, if your dog has neurological symptoms, it’s important to discuss other potential causes with your vet.
People also search for: dog neurological signs · tick-borne diseases in dogs · dog epilepsy treatment · Anaplasma in dogs · dog tumors and infections
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.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17575245/