---
_id: '12940'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: There are limited data on Lyme borreliosis (LB), a tick-borne disease caused
    by the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, in horses. Seropositivity is not
    necessarily associated with clinical disease. Data on seropositivity against Borrelia
    burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in German horses are sparse. Therefore,
    serum samples from horses (n = 123) suspected of having Lyme borreliosis and clinically
    healthy horses (n = 113) from the same stables were tested for specific antibodies
    against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The samples
    were screened for antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi (ELISA and an IgG line
    immunoblot assay). Furthermore, the samples were examined for antibodies against
    B. burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum with a validated rapid in-house test
    (SNAP® 4Dx Plus® ELISA). The clinical signs of suspect horses included lameness
    (n = 36), poor performance (n = 19), and apathy (n = 12). Twenty-three percent
    (n = 26) of suspect horses and 17% (n = 18) of clinically healthy horses were
    seropositive for having a Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection (p = 0.371),
    showing that the detection of specific antibodies against B. burgdorferi alone
    is not sufficient for a diagnosis of equine LB. Anaplasma phagocytophilum seropositivity
    and seropositivity against both pathogens was 20%/6% in suspect horses and 16%/2%
    in the clinically healthy population, showing only minor differences (p = 0.108).
    Unspecific testing for antibodies against B. burgdorferi without clinical suspicion
    of Lyme borreliosis is not recommended since the clinical relevance of seropositivity
    against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato remains to be elucidated.
article_number: '1984'
author:
- first_name: Heidrun
  full_name: Gehlen, Heidrun
  last_name: Gehlen
- first_name: Katharina
  full_name: Inerle, Katharina
  last_name: Inerle
- first_name: Alexander
  full_name: Bartel, Alexander
  last_name: Bartel
- first_name: Sabita Diana
  full_name: Stöckle, Sabita Diana
  last_name: Stöckle
- first_name: Sebastian
  full_name: Ulrich, Sebastian
  id: '85847'
  last_name: Ulrich
  orcid: 0000-0002-4511-9537
- first_name: Beatrice
  full_name: Briese, Beatrice
  last_name: Briese
- first_name: Reinhard K.
  full_name: Straubinger, Reinhard K.
  last_name: Straubinger
citation:
  ama: Gehlen H, Inerle K, Bartel A, et al. Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi
    sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses. <i>Animals</i>.
    2023;13(12). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">10.3390/ani13121984</a>
  apa: Gehlen, H., Inerle, K., Bartel, A., Stöckle, S. D., Ulrich, S., Briese, B.,
    &#38; Straubinger, R. K. (2023). Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu
    lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses. <i>Animals</i>,
    <i>13</i>(12), Article 1984. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984</a>
  bjps: <b>Gehlen H <i>et al.</i></b> (2023) Seroprevalence of Borrelia Burgdorferi
    Sensu Lato and Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses. <i>Animals</i>
    <b>13</b>.
  chicago: Gehlen, Heidrun, Katharina Inerle, Alexander Bartel, Sabita Diana Stöckle,
    Sebastian Ulrich, Beatrice Briese, and Reinhard K. Straubinger. “Seroprevalence
    of Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato and Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Infections in
    German Horses.” <i>Animals</i> 13, no. 12 (2023). <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984</a>.
  chicago-de: Gehlen, Heidrun, Katharina Inerle, Alexander Bartel, Sabita Diana Stöckle,
    Sebastian Ulrich, Beatrice Briese und Reinhard K. Straubinger. 2023. Seroprevalence
    of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in
    German Horses. <i>Animals</i> 13, Nr. 12. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">10.3390/ani13121984</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Gehlen, Heidrun</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Inerle, Katharina</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Bartel,
    Alexander</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Stöckle, Sabita Diana</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Ulrich, Sebastian</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Briese,
    Beatrice</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Straubinger, Reinhard
    K.</span>: Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
    Infections in German Horses. In: <i>Animals</i> Bd. 13. Basel, MDPI AG (2023),
    Nr. 12'
  havard: H. Gehlen, K. Inerle, A. Bartel, S.D. Stöckle, S. Ulrich, B. Briese, R.K.
    Straubinger, Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
    Infections in German Horses, Animals. 13 (2023).
  ieee: 'H. Gehlen <i>et al.</i>, “Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato
    and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses,” <i>Animals</i>, vol.
    13, no. 12, Art. no. 1984, 2023, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">10.3390/ani13121984</a>.'
  mla: Gehlen, Heidrun, et al. “Seroprevalence of Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato
    and Anaplasma Phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses.” <i>Animals</i>, vol.
    13, no. 12, 1984, 2023, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121984</a>.
  short: H. Gehlen, K. Inerle, A. Bartel, S.D. Stöckle, S. Ulrich, B. Briese, R.K.
    Straubinger, Animals 13 (2023).
  ufg: '<b>Gehlen, Heidrun u. a.</b>: Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu
    lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in German Horses, in: <i>Animals</i>
    13 (2023), H. 12.'
  van: Gehlen H, Inerle K, Bartel A, Stöckle SD, Ulrich S, Briese B, et al. Seroprevalence
    of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infections in
    German Horses. Animals. 2023;13(12).
date_created: 2025-06-15T09:35:35Z
date_updated: 2025-06-16T09:16:39Z
department:
- _id: DEP4010
doi: 10.3390/ani13121984
extern: '1'
intvolume: '        13'
issue: '12'
keyword:
- equine Lyme borreliosis
- equine granulocytic anaplasmosis
- seroprevalence
- co-infection
language:
- iso: eng
place: Basel
publication: Animals
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 2076-2615
publication_status: published
publisher: MDPI AG
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Anaplasma phagocytophilum
  Infections in German Horses
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 13
year: '2023'
...
---
_id: '12962'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "Background\r\nBorrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne spirochete that causes
    Lyme borreliosis (LB). After an initial tick bite, it spreads from the deposition
    site in the dermis to distant tissues of the host. It is generally believed that
    this spirochete disseminates via the hematogenous route. Borrelia persica causes
    relapsing fever and is able to replicate in the blood stream. Currently the exact
    dissemination pathway of LB pathogens in the host is not known and controversially
    discussed.\r\nMethods\r\nIn this study, we established a strict intravenous infection
    murine model using host-adapted spirochetes. Survival capacity and infectivity
    of host-adapted B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss) were compared to those of
    B. persica (Bp) after either intradermal (ID) injection into the dorsal skin of
    immunocompetent mice or strict intravenous (IV) inoculation via the jugular vein.
    By in vitro culture and PCR, viable spirochetes and their DNA load in peripheral
    blood were periodically monitored during a 49/50-day course post-injection, as
    well as in various tissue samples collected at day 49/50. Specific antibodies
    in individual plasma/serum samples were detected with serological methods.\r\nResults\r\nRegardless
    of ID or IV injection, DNA of Bp was present in blood samples up to day 24 post-challenge,
    while no Bbss was detectable in the blood circulation during the complete observation
    period. In contrast to the brain tropism of Bp, Bbss spirochetes were found in
    ear, skin, joint, bladder, and heart tissue samples of only ID-inoculated mice.
    All tested tissues collected from IV-challenged mice were negative for traces
    of Bbss. ELISA testing of serum samples showed that Bp induced gradually increasing
    antibody levels after ID or IV inoculation, while Bbss did so only after ID injection
    but not after IV inoculation.\r\nConclusions\r\nThis study allows us to draw the
    following conclusions: (i) Bp survives in the blood and disseminates to the host’s
    brain via the hematogenous route; and (ii) Bbss, in contrast, is cleared rapidly
    from the blood stream and is a tissue-bound spirochete."
article_number: '191'
author:
- first_name: Liucun
  full_name: Liang, Liucun
  last_name: Liang
- first_name: Jinyong
  full_name: Wang, Jinyong
  last_name: Wang
- first_name: Lucas
  full_name: Schorter, Lucas
  last_name: Schorter
- first_name: Thu Phong
  full_name: Nguyen Trong, Thu Phong
  last_name: Nguyen Trong
- first_name: Shari
  full_name: Fell, Shari
  last_name: Fell
- first_name: Sebastian
  full_name: Ulrich, Sebastian
  id: '85847'
  last_name: Ulrich
  orcid: 0000-0002-4511-9537
- first_name: Reinhard K.
  full_name: Straubinger, Reinhard K.
  last_name: Straubinger
citation:
  ama: Liang L, Wang J, Schorter L, et al. Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi
    from the blood circulation. <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i>. 2020;13(1). doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>
  apa: Liang, L., Wang, J., Schorter, L., Nguyen Trong, T. P., Fell, S., Ulrich, S.,
    &#38; Straubinger, R. K. (2020). Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from
    the blood circulation. <i>Parasites &#38; Vectors</i>, <i>13</i>(1), Article 191.
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>
  bjps: <b>Liang L <i>et al.</i></b> (2020) Rapid Clearance of Borrelia Burgdorferi
    from the Blood Circulation. <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i> <b>13</b>.
  chicago: Liang, Liucun, Jinyong Wang, Lucas Schorter, Thu Phong Nguyen Trong, Shari
    Fell, Sebastian Ulrich, and Reinhard K. Straubinger. “Rapid Clearance of Borrelia
    Burgdorferi from the Blood Circulation.” <i>Parasites &#38; Vectors</i> 13, no.
    1 (2020). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>.
  chicago-de: Liang, Liucun, Jinyong Wang, Lucas Schorter, Thu Phong Nguyen Trong,
    Shari Fell, Sebastian Ulrich und Reinhard K. Straubinger. 2020. Rapid clearance
    of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation. <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i>
    13, Nr. 1. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Liang, Liucun</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Wang, Jinyong</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Schorter,
    Lucas</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Nguyen Trong, Thu Phong</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Fell, Shari</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Ulrich,
    Sebastian</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Straubinger, Reinhard
    K.</span>: Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation.
    In: <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i> Bd. 13. London, BioMed Central  (2020), Nr. 1'
  havard: L. Liang, J. Wang, L. Schorter, T.P. Nguyen Trong, S. Fell, S. Ulrich, R.K.
    Straubinger, Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation,
    Parasites &#38; Vectors. 13 (2020).
  ieee: 'L. Liang <i>et al.</i>, “Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the
    blood circulation,” <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i>, vol. 13, no. 1, Art. no. 191,
    2020, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>.'
  mla: Liang, Liucun, et al. “Rapid Clearance of Borrelia Burgdorferi from the Blood
    Circulation.” <i>Parasites &#38; Vectors</i>, vol. 13, no. 1, 191, 2020, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y">https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y</a>.
  short: L. Liang, J. Wang, L. Schorter, T.P. Nguyen Trong, S. Fell, S. Ulrich, R.K.
    Straubinger, Parasites &#38; Vectors 13 (2020).
  ufg: '<b>Liang, Liucun u. a.</b>: Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the
    blood circulation, in: <i>Parasites &#38; vectors</i> 13 (2020), H. 1.'
  van: Liang L, Wang J, Schorter L, Nguyen Trong TP, Fell S, Ulrich S, et al. Rapid
    clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation. Parasites &#38;
    vectors. 2020;13(1).
date_created: 2025-06-15T10:13:30Z
date_updated: 2025-06-17T14:17:27Z
department:
- _id: DEP4010
doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04060-y
extern: '1'
intvolume: '        13'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Lyme borreliosis
- Borrelia burgdorferi
- Tick-borne relapsing fever
- Borrelia persica
- Blood clearance
language:
- iso: eng
place: London
publication: Parasites & vectors
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1756-3305
publication_status: published
publisher: 'BioMed Central '
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Rapid clearance of Borrelia burgdorferi from the blood circulation
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 13
year: '2020'
...