The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has published on its website comprehensive guidelines to assist practitioners with identification, diagnosis and control of Borrelia burgdorferi infection and Lyme disease, an important tick-borne disease of horses in the northeastern United States and beyond.
Horse hair parted to show burrowing tick
Despite the high prevalence of exposure and seropositivity to B. burgdorferi in horses residing in endemic regions, confirming clinical Lyme disease remains a diagnostic challenge.
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“Borrelia burgdorferi infection is common in horses residing in Lyme endemic areas and the geographic range for exposure appears to be increasing,” said co-author Dr. Sally DeNotta. “Despite the high prevalence of exposure and seropositivity to B. burgdorferi in horses residing in endemic regions, confirming clinical Lyme disease remains a diagnostic challenge."
"We hope these guidelines help clear up confusion and provide useful information to assist equine veterinarians with the diagnostic approach and clinical management of horses suspected of having Lyme disease.”
The Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Lyme Disease Guidelines, available as a PDF file, were authored for the AAEP’s Infectious Disease Committee by Thomas J. Divers DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC and Sally DeNotta DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM. The guidelines were reviewed and approved by the AAEP Infectious Disease Committee and board of directors.
View the Borrelia burgdorferi infection and Lyme Disease Guidelines or save them to your mobile device for future reference here.
Besides Borrelia burgdorferi infection and Lyme disease, AAEP guidelines for 22 other equine infectious diseases are available at https://aaep.org/guidelines/infectious-disease-control. In addition, a Lyme disease Factsheet for horse owners may be found on the Equine Disease Communication Center website at https://www.equinediseasecc.org/disease-information.
About AAEP
The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.
Press release by Keith Kleine - Director of Industry Relations