Abstract
In 2019, in the United States, over 220,000 and 350,000 dogs tested positive for exposure to Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi, respectively. To evaluate regional and local temporal trends of pathogen exposure we used a Bayesian spatio-temporal binomial regression model, analyzing serologic test results for these pathogens from January 2013 to December 2019. Regional trends were not static over time, but rather increased within and beyond the borders of historically endemic regions. Increased seroprevalence was observed as far as North Carolina and North Dakota for both pathogens. Local trends were estimated to evaluate the heterogeneity of underlying changes. A large cluster of counties with increased B. burgdorferi seroprevalence centered around West Virginia, while a similar cluster of counties with increased Anaplasma spp. seroprevalence centered around Pennsylvania and extended well into Maine. In the Midwest, only a small number of counties experienced an increase in seroprevalence; instead, most counties had a decrease in seroprevalence for both pathogens. These trends will help guide veterinarians and pet owners in adopting the appropriate preventative care practices for their area. Additionally, B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum cause disease in humans. Dogs are valuable sentinels for some vector-borne pathogens, and these trends may help public health providers better understand the risk of exposure for humans.
Highlights
Dogs are frequently exposed to tick-borne pathogens, with Borrelia burgdorferi, agent for Lyme disease, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, agent for granulocytic anaplasmosis, being among the most common [1, 2]
The analysis presented in this manuscript provides two perspectives of the changing seroprevalence of B. burgdorferi and Anaplasma spp. in dogs within the contiguous United States
This study focused on two important pathogens associated with Ixodes scapularis, B. burgdorferi, and Anaplasma spp., which have large amounts of exposure data available through veterinary testing; this tick species is a known vector for several human and zoonotic pathogens including Babesia microti, Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichia muris subsp. eauclarensis, Powassan encephalitis virus [70], and the recently discovered B. mayonii [71]
Summary
Dogs are frequently exposed to tick-borne pathogens, with Borrelia burgdorferi, agent for Lyme disease, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, agent for granulocytic anaplasmosis, being among the most common [1, 2]. Increasing incidence and geographical distribution [6, 8, 9] are believed to be related to changes in the distribution and densities of the tick vector Ixodes spp., changes in the reservoir host communities, and the interaction between humans and the vector [10,11,12]. The biodiversity of these animal host communities influence the prevalence of infection in ticks [13] These changes have lead to an increase in tick populations, and their presence has expanded. Counties reporting the presence of Ixodes spp. ticks rose from 1,058 in 1998 to 1,531 in 2016 within the contiguous United States [11]
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