Original scientific paper

Serologic studies of canine Lyme borreliosis in the Zagreb area (Croatia).

Nenad Turk ; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Albert Marinculić ; Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonko Modrić ; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Sera from 120 apparently healthy dogs, 74 purebred, 46 mixed-bred, 57 females and 63 males in the Zagreb area (Croatia) were examined by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. During triple i/v immunization of dog at 1, 7 and 14 day, on each occasion with 5 ml 1.4×107 cells/ml of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, strain B31 ATCC 35210, a positive control serum was obtained at day 28 p.i., while negative control serum was obtained prior to immunization. The antigen for ELISA was prepared from the same bacterial strain sonicated on ice. The sonicate was quantified by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrilamid gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE). IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi were estimated in 6 (5%) samples of dog sera in titre ranging from 1:100 to 1:2000 (Optical density-OD=0.650 + 36.49, n=6). Antibodies to B. burgdorferi were found in two females and four males, two Labrador retrievers and in one German shepherd, a Hungarian viszla, one cocker spaniel, and a German wirehaired pointer at 2.5 to 8 years of age. Of 114 seronegative samples three samples were found to be very close to the margin of optical density that determined seropositive result (OD=0.562). Estimated seroprevalence to B. burgdorferi in dog sera suggested that dogs in the Zagreb area are infected with B. burgdorferi and that the Zagreb area is part of a wider Central European Lyme boreliosis endemic area.

Keywords

Borrelia burgdorferi; dog; ELISA; Croatia

Hrčak ID:

95811

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/95811

Publication date:

19.2.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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