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dog and cat assay data sheet
Lyme disease (Borrelia
burgdorferi)
Test code:
B0004 -
Ultrasensitive qualitative
detection of Borrelia
burgdorferi by real time PCR.
This assay detects all Borrelia genospecies within the designation
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which includes those found in both
North America and Eurasia.
B0004 is included on
P0036 - canine
neurological panel, and on
P0025 - tickborne
disease panel
Borrelia burgdorferi are gram-negative spirochete bacteria that cause
Lyme disease. Spirochetes are a group of phylogenetically
distinct bacteria that have a unique mode of motility by means
of axial filaments (endoflagella).
Borrelia
are divided into "genospecies" including
B. burgdorferi sensu
strict, B. garinii and
B. afzelii. The term used to collectively describe all these
genospecies is B.
burgdorferi sensu lato. All North American isolates are
genospecies B. burgdorferi
sensu strict. B. garinii and
B. afzelii are predominant in Europe and Asia, although all
three genospecies have been found there.
B. burgdorferi invades the blood and tissues
of various infected mammals and birds via the bite of ticks of
genus Ixodes. The
natural reservoir for B.
burgdorferi is thought to be the white-footed mouse. Ticks
transfer the spirochetes to deer, humans, and other warm-blooded
animals after a blood meal from an infected animal. In most
mammals, including humans, infection by
B. burgdorferi can
result in Lyme disease.
Culture detection of
Borrelia is difficult
because these organisms have fastidious growth requirements, and
even under optimal conditions their growth is very slow.
Diagnosis by serological means usually has a very low positive
predictive value (Lakos et al., 2010). However, PCR is a highly
specific and sensitive methodology for rapid detection of
B. burgdorferi.
Utilities:
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Help confirm the disease causing agent
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Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of
Lyme disease
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Help ensure that animal facilities are free
of Borrelia
burgdorferi
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Early prevention of spread of Lyme disease among a facility
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Minimize human exposure to
Borrelia burgdorferi
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Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from
susceptible animals
References:
Lakos, A., Reiczigel, J. and Solymosi, N. (2010) The positive
predictive value of
Borrelia burgdorferi serology in the light of symptoms of
patients sent to an outpatient service for tick-borne diseases.
Inflamm. Res. 59:959-64.
Preferred specimen types: 0.2 ml synovial
fluid or CSF, or 0.2 ml fresh, frozen or fixed tissue, or tick.
Less preferred specimen types:
0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml urine
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all specimen types, if there will be a
delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate
specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more
stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens
should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See
shipping instructions
for more information.
Turnaround time: 2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time
polymerase chain reaction
Normal range: Nondetected
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