Retrospective Evaluation of Horses Diagnosed with Neuroborreliosis on Postmortem Examination: 16 Cases (2004–2015)

• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.14369
• Publication Date: 2016-06-22T18:05:19Z
• Authors: L.K. Johnstone; J.B. Engiles; H. Aceto; V. Buechner‐Maxwell; T. Divers; R. Gardner; R. Levine; N. Scherrer; D. Tewari; J. Tomlinson; A.L. Johnson
• Keywords: Neuroborreliosis

Equine neuroborreliosis (NB), Lyme disease, is difficult to diagnose and has limited description in the literature.Provide a detailed of clinical signs, diagnostic, pathologic findings horses with NB.Sixteen histologically confirmed NB.Retrospective review medical records at University Pennsylvania via an ACVIM listserv query inclusion criteria requiring possible exposure Borrelia burgdorferi histologic consistent previous reports NB without evidence other disease.Sixteen were identified, 12 which had additional NB. Clinical signs variable including muscle atrophy or weight loss (12), cranial nerve deficits (11), ataxia (10), changes behavior (9), dysphagia (7), fasciculations (6), neck stiffness episodic respiratory distress (5), uveitis fever (2), joint effusion cardiac arrhythmias (1). Serologic analysis was positive for B. infection 6/13 cases tested. CSF abnormalities present 8/13 tested, xanthochromia (4/13), increased total protein (5/13; median: 91 mg/dL, range: 25-219 mg/dL), neutrophilic (6/13) lymphocytic (2/13) pleocytosis (median: 25 nucleated cells/μL, 0-922 cells/μL). PCR on negative 7 that tested.Diagnosis equine challenging due presentation lack sensitive specific diagnostic tests. Negative serology normal do not exclude diagnosis