---
_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'
...