Borrelia burgdorferi- Agent of Lyme disease.
The tick transmitted organism which causes Lyme disease is the most frequently reported human tick transmitted disease in the U.S. Clinical problem in humans are usually related to chronic infection and joint involvement. Ixodes scapularis (dammini) is the most common vector.
In the dog, clinical features of infection include fever, innappetence, lethargy, lymphadenopathy and the acute onset of stiffness, lameness or pain. Infected dogs generally do not have swollen joints. The most advanced manifestations of canine Lyme borreliosis is a recurrent, intermittent, nonerosive arthritis. The skin lesions that occur in humans apparently are rare in canines.
Identification and detection of infection remains a problem in both human and veterinary medicine. Isolation or the organism is difficult and generally beyond the capabilities of routine practices. Serologic determinations of antibody titers are both non-specific and non-sensitive
Although difficult to interpret, studies appear to show that both tetracycline and penicillin G are the preferred antimicrobial agents. Although a vaccine is available, its value in either preventing infection or preventing clinical disease is still under study.
Additional Links on Lyme Disease: